“Live not in yesterday, Look back and you may sorrow. Live precisely for today, Look forward to tomorrow.” – J. J. Hulsgen
People tend to live in the guilt of the past, thinking about what they should have done when that time has already been far spent to do anything about it. Thus, they allow their attention to be drawn to failure that ought to no longer have a hold on them. As a result of this, they live in regret and thereby perpetuate emotional pain that should have been let go of long ago.
Listen, just because you’ve failed that doesn’t mean you’re still failing. And even if you’ve failed in the same way more than once that doesn’t mean failure is unavoidable. Unfortunately, many people live in failure by letting the past remind them of all of the mistakes that they’ve made in it. Some even go so far as to assume that they are a mistake, simply because they’ve made mistakes. It makes no sense to think that you’re a mistake because you’ve made mistakes, but it makes perfect sense to demonstrate that you’ve learned from past failure by doing what ought to be done today; that is, in the present.
Why waste time and energy thinking about how things might have turned out if you had done them yesterday, when you can’t go back in time to change a thing? It’s not for us to think about what might have happened if we did things differently back then, but to put what ought to be done into motion now, making changes to shape our lives for the better, and paving the way for a future without regrets. If you continue to let the failures of your past consume your thoughts and rule your emotions you will continue to be a prisoner of your past. Thus, you will not experience the joy that God desires to give you in the present–joy that comes by means of being forgiven.
Of course, there might have been situations where you hurt certain people with whom you can no longer make things right–they may no longer be within your reach. Nevertheless, that still doesn’t give you good reason to live in regret. Living in regret is not something that anyone should do. It changes nothing for the better, but only causes more pain. Therefore forgive yourself and move on. Stop thinking about what you could have done then and start thinking about what you can do now. Don’t keep slipping into the failures of the past; rather, live in the present and gift the future with a legacy of promise and assurance for what can happen when you’re willing to act on what ought to be done today.
Remember, God loves you and desires to show you a better way. Receive Him as He is by walking in His mercy and kindness. Believe that He has given you a new life through Jesus Christ, and you will experience peace which surpasses all understanding! And if you haven’t given your heart to God, then do so now. Don’t be afraid. He is willing to forgive you for all that you’ve done wrong. Everything. Ask Him to give you that peace of mind now. He will forgive you!
“Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.” – Philippians 4:8 KJV
