Instruct the wise, and they will be even wiser
Are you living with regret over the time you’ve wasted, the opportunities you’ve squandered, the sins you’ve committed, and the relationships you’ve destroyed? The reason so many of us never get where we’re supposed to be in life is because we don’t want to leave where we are. But so often in the plans of God, letting go is the door to your destiny. Holding onto regrets will always hold you back from living the life God wants you to live. When you focus on your past mistakes, it causes you to run from the life God created you to live. It’s a new day with a new opportunity to get your life together and move on to greater things, so don’t waste it looking back in regret! This article encourages you to break free from regret to avoid missing your destiny by holding on.
We all deal with missed opportunities, regrets, sorrows, and disappointments. No one is exempted. You can look back and feel sad about what you should have done, shouldn’t have done, would have done, couldn’t do, and didn’t do. Just know that God can restore you. God can do more with your future than you could do if you were to live your past all over again. That’s the kind of God we serve. So, we can be free from regrets, disappointments, missed opportunities, past sins, broken relationships and many other situations that we face in our lives. We all have that. People think regret is a good thing. Of course, you shouldn’t feel good about the bad thing you did. “For godly sorrow produces repentance leading to salvation, not to be regretted; but the sorrow of the world produces death” (2 Corinthians 7:10). The worldly sorrow produces death. But although there’s some regret initially with godly sorrow, it doesn’t last forever. Obviously, it’s not going to last forever because God is going to wipe every tear from our eyes when we get to heaven. So, regret is not God’s long-term will for you. You can apply the full manifestation of some of the inheritance that God has for us.
No matter what has happened in the past, God wants you to move on with the life He has given you. Are you dealing with the loss of loved ones? This is something that there’s no escape from unless you go to heaven first. The longer you live, the more people you are going to know, and many will eventually pass away. The danger is, you may regret that you didn’t love them or show your love enough. There are all kinds of things that you might think you should have or could have, or would have. People are defensive and I’m not here to say that you shouldn’t have a process to go through, but it shouldn’t last forever. Jesus wants us to be happy, Jesus wants us to be filled with joy, and that’s why He comforts you when you mourn. He wraps His love around you. He said, “blessed are those who mourn for they shall be comforted” (Matthew 5:4). Jesus wants us to move on in life.
I heard this testimony about a lady who was happily married and had three children. They were on a family trip and she was driving their minivan, but she fell asleep at the wheel and the van went out of control. It threw out her husband and their middle child and they died. It was devastating. She nearly lost her mind because of not only the loss but also the guilt. So, she was dealing with guilt and grief, and it was almost more than she could bear, but she gave herself to the Lord and gave herself to the word of God. Most people will think you can’t get over something like that. Maybe you shouldn’t get over something like that. You did something terrible; you will have to bear that scar for the rest of your life. And that’s exactly where many people are. They can’t be talked out of that, but know that it’s a decision. I don’t believe that long-term chronic grief is God’s will for His people. Jesus wants to set you free. This lady gave herself to the Lord, she prayed, she went to Bible school, she got in the word, and four years after that accident, she got married to a new husband. God set her free. Now her new husband testifies that she’s one of the happiest people he has ever met.
" It’s God in us who makes us brave and courageous. He gives us confidence and the eyes to see a hopeful future. "
If this woman could get over that, then you and I can get over ours. That’s what her testimony does. You may have lived a mild life compared to her, but we all have disappointments and regrets. You may be saying, if you’ve been through what I have been through, then you will understand. But the Bible says there’s no temptation taken you such as is common to man. Some people may say mine is special. I tell you, very few people have gone through what this lady had to deal with, but she overcame the situation. Once she shares her testimony, people begin to realise that what happened to her is worse than what’s happening to them. And if she can be happy and move on with her life, then we can all get over ours, and move on too.
It’s God in us who makes us strong and overcomers. It’s Him in us who makes us brave and courageous. God gives us confidence and the eyes to see a hopeful future. It’s Him in us who allows us to not worry and gives us the tools to fight battles bigger than ourselves. He enables us to fight against disappointments and regrets and He enables us to move on in life. It’s Him in us who helps us to overcome darkness and gives us joy, even in sorrow. So, when you feel fearful, panicked, and overcome by darkness, know that it’s God in us who can tackle and overcome all things, not your strength but His strength in us. His Holy Spirit who lives in us is our greatest weapon. With His strength, we can overcome anything, including disappointments, depression, anxiety, and regrets.
You are accepted in the beloved. “Having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will, 6 to the praise of the glory of His grace, by which He made us accepted in the Beloved. 7 In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace “(Ephesians 1:5-7). You are highly favoured and accepted. Start quoting that, instead of thinking about the failures. It sounds so simple, but it works. It’s true. The word of God works. It’s time to move on. “You have turned for me my mourning into dancing; You have put off my sackcloth and clothed me with gladness, 12 To the end that my glory may sing praise to You and not be silent. O Lord my God, I will give thanks to You forever” (Psalm 30:11-12). Is this not powerful for us? If you apply that to your life, God is literally saying, He can turn your mourning into dancing.
Mourning is a sad thing. It’s a condition, and it’s got real factual evidence supporting it. You don’t mourn over nothing, something must happen for you to mourn, and God can turn real mourning, which is a real condition, into dancing. That’s quite a claim. Only God can back that up. But I tell you, God can do it if you’ll let Him. He can turn your mourning into dancing. We can enjoy part of the inheritance God has for us and that means we must get rid of these sorrows and move on with our lives. God takes away the mourning of His people. And what does He give in place of it? Dancing! He makes our hearts dance at the mention of His name. He turns our mourning into dancing when we approach Him in prayer. And a great deal more than that.
You have put off my sackcloth and clothed me with gladness. He takes off our sackcloth. That is good. What a delight to be gotten rid of your mourning and be replaced with dancing and joy! He clothes us with gladness. Not ordinary clothes, but His royal and divine gladness. Far, far better than the most expensive designer clothes you can find in this world or in any designer shop in any country on planet Earth. You have put off my sackcloth and clothed me with gladness. Your sackcloth is a loose one, it will soon come off. You can move on with your life. God will put off the clothes of mourning, disappointment, and regret and replace them with joy. Your sorrow will turn to joy. Joy is the true replacement of your sorrow. We have every reason to rejoice. The joy of the Lord is your strength. You can move on with your life no matter what has happened in the past.
