Do not [earnestly] remember the former things; neither consider the things of old.
This morning I thought, I wish I wouldn’t have done that yesterday! Immediately, the Lord lovingly chastised me, reminding me that looking back at something I cannot change is energy-draining and merely produces stress. The only thing we can do about the past is learn from it.
I don’t mean to say that we should not be sorry for the things we do wrong or that hurt people, but it is very important to deal with them and then move on quickly. Regret is self-defeating. It does nothing to change the past, but it does steal today’s energy!
Pray about the things you are sorry for and ask God to redeem your mistakes by working something good out of them but refuse to live with regret. Peter made a big mistake by denying Jesus at a crucial time, but after he wept bitterly about it (Luke 22:62), it is never mentioned in the New Testament again. He was sorry, but he moved past it in the power of the Holy Spirit. I urge you to make the same choice anytime you’re tempted to get stuck in the regrets of yesterday.
Prayer of the Day: Father, thank You that I don’t have to live in the past. Help me fully embrace the future You have for me. Thank You!
