Living Free From Your Past Regrets

“I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith:”
‭‭2 Timothy‬ ‭4:7‬ ‭KJV‬‬

In today’s Scripture Paul said he finished his course! Some translations will say he finished his race. Paul got the job done!

And as he was coming to the end of his life he could look back with no regrets.

But had Paul made mistakes in his life? He sure did! 

He said this about himself: “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners”--and I am the worst of them all.”
‭‭1 Timothy‬ ‭1:15‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Too many of us are living in what I call, the Would’ve, Could’ve, Should’ve Land.

When you find yourself lamenting and thinking about how many times you may have missed it you will find yourselves living in that land, the land of regret. 

It’s a land where you have been unable to forgive yourself for your past mistakes either real or perceived. It’s a land filled with self condemnation. It’s a place filled with torment. It’s an ugly place to live! 

Your only thought seems to be if only I would’ve, should’ve, or could’ve.

If we look back on our lives everyone of us will find things that we could’ve handled or done differently. It’s always easier after the fact looking back!

In the would’ve, could’ve, should’ve land that’s where our focus is. 

First of all, most often we are comparing our lives before we came to Christ and made him Lord of our lives to our life with Christ.

Big difference!

Look at the apostle Paul. He was a persecutor of the church, he hated believers, had them arrested and thrown in prison though he thought he was carrying  out God’s plan. He himself said that he was a blasphemer. He was there consenting holding the coats of those that participated in the murder of Stephen.

If there was someone who could be regretful about his life before coming to Christ, it certainly was Paul, but he was able to move beyond that.

You see when you came to Christ and made Him Lord of your life He took care of your past.

As I was thinking about this the Lord said this to me; “As a child of Mine, you are no longer responsible for your past, I’am.”

I want you to think about that for a moment!

When you made Jesus Lord of your life, your Savior, God took care of your sin problem. He took care of all of your past would’ve, could’ve and shouldve’s. It was completely eradicated from your life. There is no record to be found.

He doesn’t remember neither should we!

And we should do exactly what the Apostle Paul did regarding his past. It is God’s answer to being set free from the land of regret.

He said “forgetting those things which are behind, I press on…”

Let me encourage you today that your past is your past!

If you have regrets in your life, and you can’t seem to move on in life, you need to do exactly what the Apostle Paul said he did.

“Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before,”
‭‭Philippians‬ ‭3:13‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Father we thank You today that You have taken care of our past. It’s no longer our responsibility because You sent Your best gift, Your Son Jesus, to take upon Himself all of our sins, mistakes and failures. 

Father help each and everyone of us not to go back to the land of regrets. For You have set us free and free we shall be, in Jesus Name.