“You, Lord, are forgiving and good, abounding in love to all who call to you.”
Psalm 86:5
There are so many things I did in my past that I wish I could take back; Mistakes, embarrassments, resentments, all things that remind me of the far from perfect human I am. For many years, I would replay these mistakes over and over in my head. How I wished I could take them back or even start over and fix everything that I didn’t like. If only I had handled situations differently. I was carrying burdens that never wanted to go away. I was looking in my past but not living in my present.
After living this way for many years, I decided to sit down with God and journal about my biggest regrets in life. I talked to him about everything and didn’t hold anything back. Through tear soaked pages, I confessed my mistakes and he lifted the burdens I could no longer carry. I knew God had forgiven me, I just needed to forgive myself. I felt an immediate blanket of love covering me. The weight of disappointment in myself had been lifted. The chains of heartache broken. I was free to live beautifully in the present. I just had to allow it to happen.
We are given the most amazing gift-God’s forgiveness. It is always there for us. The evil one does not want you to conquer your past. Those constant feelings of guilt and regret are not from God. Just remember, we are forgiven my friend, and the sooner you can forgive yourself from any heartache, the sooner you can live beautifully in the present with no worries of the past.
If you are feeling like you are looking back in your past and it is stealing joy from your present, sit down with God and tell him everything; no sugar coating and no avoiding, just the down right truth. God wants you to know you are forgiven, it’s the step of forgiving yourself that is the hardest part.
“When we clear away our regrets, joy replaces resentment and peace replaces conflict.” Charles Swindoll
Read my post on seizing each day with no worries of the past here.
I hope this helps bring peace to your heart and joy in your present.
Xo,
Merr