I’m on a mission to purge regret from my life.
Trials take place
Looking back, I see a lot of trials and tests have come my way. The human condition guarantees trials will come.
But the question is, will I let the trial mold me into a better person? Or will I let it break me?
Learn the lesson
There is something to be learned from each experience. For example, I once defied my dad, and ended up walking home in the rain holding an umbrella and wearing white heels. (You can read all about it as #6 in my post, Top 10 Life Stories.)
Not a fun experience to be sure.
Ditch the distress
But do I spend the rest of my life beating myself up over that mistake in judgment? The most profitable thing for me to do is to learn a lesson from the mistake, repent of my hard-headedness and then ditch the distressing memories.
I have spent many sleepless nights berating myself over errors in judgment, and it doesn’t change one thing of what happened. If I ask forgiveness for my mess-ups, what more is required? Nothing!
But if we freely admit our sins when his light uncovers them, he will be faithful to forgive us every time. God is just to forgive us our sins because of Christ, and he will continue to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
1 John 1:9 the passion translation
Some trials come not because of any wrongdoing on our own; but because God is allowing this to shape us into a more Christlike character.
Because left on our own, we will not try to live a higher life. We like comfort.
Focus on the future
When trials come, as they assuredly will, we need to know this will not last forever. As children of God, we know there is deliverance coming.
2 My fellow believers, when it seems as though you are facing nothing but difficulties, see it as an invaluable opportunity to experience the greatest joy that you can! 3 For you know that when your faith is tested it stirs up in you the power of endurance.
James 1:2-3 The Passion Translation
And we do receive a benefit from the trial … endurance! Nothing makes you stronger than hanging in there, being faithful, and completing the journey.
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Today’s post was written in response to the prompt, “trial,” provided by the Five Minute Friday community of writers. We all write for 5 minutes on one word. It’s amazing to see the different direction each writer takes.
In the interest of full disclosure, I wrote for 5 minutes; then took extra time to choose photos, links, headings and scriptures to illustrate my post.
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I’m sharing this post with the communities at Five Minute Friday and Grace & Truth, Inspire Me Monday, Tell His Story, InstaEncouragements Link-Up, Let’s Have Coffee, Tune In Thursday
All photos created in PicMonkey by Jerralea using personal, family and stock photos. Please do not copy.
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So true, Jerralea, “Some trials come not because of any wrongdoing on our own; but because God is allowing this to shape us into a more Christlike character.”
Lisa, it’s been said we can’t grow without have a trial. And you know what happens if we’re not growing … we’re dying.
Thanks for dropping in!
Very true! I used to waste a lot of emotional energy on berating myself for past wrongs, but discovered that doesnt help anyone. Forgiveness really is key.
Blessings!
Me, too! In fact, this is a constant struggle for me. It doesn’t do me any good but I still do it. At least the time I spend doing it is decreasing!
Thanks for visiting, Sophia.
Fabulous, Jerralea, very much to the point, I love the way you expressed accepting the past, but moving on, counting it all JOY!! Amen!
Thanks, Donna! It’s unreasonable to think we could forget the past, but learning to take the lesson from it and going on to do better next time is key.
Oh, but I have wasted so my energy dwelling in the past. How much sweeter (and profitable) to count it all joy!
Oh, I know, Jennifer! I have wasted a lot of time stewing … or have I? Perhaps the younger me would never have seen this.
No matter how the trial comes about, God can use it to teach us and to refine us. Very encouraging!
FMF#18
Thanks, Kym. Yes, He wastes nothing!
Jerralea, yes, I too have learned so much through my trials. I think we really learn who we are by how we handle adversity. And thank goodness we have our awesome God who uses all we do and experience for our good.
Yes, I find Romans 8:28 such a comfort. He uses EVERYTHING and turns it into something good.
Thanks for commenting, Deborah!
Yes, learn the lesson and stop living in regret. God forgives us, but somehow we keep beating ourselves up. When we do this, we are living in the past and not the present or future.
So true, Theresa. It makes me think of the scripture about forgetting the past and PRESSING forward.
Thanks for adding to the conversation.
Really good points here, Jerralea. Regret for past mistakes used to be a huge stumbling block for me until I realized that if I’d not made the mistakes I did, I would have made others—perhaps even worse ones. Yikes. I also remembered that I’m not perfect, and I WILL make others. It makes me think about David; he murdered someone. Murdered. Yet he repented and turned to God with all his heart. No matter the mistakes I make, God will accept my repentant heart.
What a good point, Ashley! The mistakes I made might have kept me from making worse ones … wow. I’m going to have to camp on that though a while.
Thanks for sharing that.
No matter how or why the trial has come, God can use each one to change and mold us. Thank you for the encouraging thoughts today!
Yes, I want to be molded into His image. Although molding can hurt …
Thanks for dropping by, Joanne!
This> “And we do receive a benefit from the trial … endurance! Nothing makes you stronger than hanging in there, being faithful, and completing the journey.” That is so true. Thank you for your greatinsights for which I will reflect upon. Blessings.
I was kind of excited when I received that insight. No one wants to think they went through a struggle for nothing. But seriously, all the trials I have went through over the years has made me more determined than ever to not give up. Why would the enemy fight me so hard if God didn’t have something for me?
Thanks for commenting, Paula!
“The most profitable thing for me to do is to learn a lesson from the mistake, repent of my hard-headedness and then ditch the distressing memories.” Yes, Jerralea! Sometimes I hold on to the guilt long after God has forgiven me and I’ve made amends for it to the person I hurt.
Guilt is one of the enemy’s favorite tools. It’s time to take that tool away from him! God convicts us when we’ve done something wrong. When we repent, anything after that is the enemy trying to push our buttons!
Thanks, Lisa, for featuring this post on Grace & Truth! I’m grateful.
Jerralea, yes. Trials serve many purposes in our lives. And God has ways of using them to conform us to the image of His Son, among other things. I so appreciate your thoughts on regret. It’s taken me a lot of years to move beyond regret for some of the choices I made as a younger me.
You are not alone, Jeanne. I have struggled also with blaming myself.
Thanks for visiting!
I’ve wrestled with regret, too, over things I have already confessed to God. When they come to mind yet again, I can only remind myself God has already forgiven me and there’s nothing I can do about the situation. I try to let the memories humble me and remind me how much I need His grace to avoid such missteps again.
Yes! It makes sense to learn a lesson from past mistakes. Some people don’t seem to do that …
Thanks for stopping by, Barbara.