August 23, 2026
“But my life is worth nothing to me unless I use it for finishing the work assigned me by the Lord Jesus, the work of telling others the Good News about the wonderful grace of God.” Acts 20:24 (NLT)
“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.“ 1 John 1:9 (NIV)
Have you ever had the experience of God walking you back through the pages of your life?
As you look back, some memories make you smile, some make you proud, and some were exciting, beautiful, and perhaps even worth experiencing all over again. And then there are the memories that make you wish you could go back and do things differently. Those are regrets.
Regret is sorrow or remorse over something that has happened or something we have done. To be human is to know something about regret. Yes, we make mistakes; we do not know everything. There are times when we make decisions without always fully understanding their consequences. However, as we grow older and prayerfully wiser, we often look back at decisions made in our youth and ask ourselves, “What on earth was I thinking?”
But not all regrets are the same. You would agree that some regrets arise from foolish choices, decisions made because of immaturity, impulsiveness, fear, lack of wisdom, or failure to seek godly counsel. Other regrets arise from sinful choices, times when we knew what God’s Word said but chose to disobey it anyway. And there are also painful things that happened to us that we may wish never happened. We must be careful not to assume responsibility or guilt for something someone else did to us. We can grieve what happened without carrying guilt that does not belong to us.
Each of these requires a different response. When we have made a mistake, we learn from it. When we have sinned, we repent of it. When we have been wounded by the actions of others, we bring our pain to God and allow Him to heal us. But in every case, we do not have to remain imprisoned by yesterday. Unforgiveness is a prison!
Yes, I must confess that I have made decisions I wish I had made differently. There were times I did not follow godly advice, times I acted before seeking God, and times when I felt humanly capable of handling something on my own. I have been guilty! Yet God, in His mercy and grace, forgives us when we confess our sin and turn to Him. No, forgiveness, however, does not always erase earthly consequences. Sometimes the consequences of yesterday’s decisions follow us into tomorrow.
That is one reason God’s Word gives us clear instructions and boundaries. The more we allow His Word to direct our decisions, the fewer self-inflicted regrets we create. But what happens when we have already crossed the boundary? What happens when the decision has already been made, the words have already been spoken, the opportunity has already been missed, or the sin has already occurred? Grace meets us there too. David understood this. After his sin involving Bathsheba and Uriah, David could not undo what he had done. His choices carried devastating consequences. But in Psalm 51, we see a broken and repentant man returning to God. David prayed: “Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free spirit.” Psalm 51:12. Sin had robbed David of his joy, but David knew where restoration could be found. He returned to God.
David’s story reminds us that it is far better to obey God than to deliberately disobey Him with the assumption that we can simply ask forgiveness later. Grace should never become an excuse for disobedience. Yet when we genuinely repent, God’s grace is greater than our failure.
Peter gives us another powerful picture of regret. Peter loved Jesus. He had boldly declared that he would remain faithful to Him. Yet when Jesus was arrested, and Peter found himself under pressure, fear overtook his confidence. Three times he denied knowing the very Lord he had promised never to forsake. Then the rooster crowed. Luke 22:62 tells us: “And Peter went out, and wept bitterly.”Can you imagine Peter replaying that moment in his mind? Why did I say that? Why wasn’t I stronger? How could I have denied Him? If only I could go back!
Praise God, Peter’s failure was not the end of his story. After the resurrection, Jesus intentionally restored Peter. In John 21, the disciple who had denied Jesus three times was given three opportunities to affirm his love for Him. And then Jesus essentially
told Peter: Keep following Me. Peter could not change what he had done. But Jesus could redeem what Peter had done.
Perhaps that is where some of us are today. You cannot go back and change the decision. You cannot unsay the words. You cannot relive your youth with today’s wisdom. You cannot rewrite yesterday. But you can decide what you will do with yesterday today. Repent where repentance is necessary. Learn where wisdom was lacking and receive God’s forgiveness. Accept what cannot be changed. Make amends where possible. And then, LET IT GO!
Regret may be part of your history, but through the grace of God, it does not have to become your identity.
Peter denied Jesus, but he did not remain “Peter the Denier.” David sinned grievously, but his worst chapter was not the final chapter of his life. And neither does your worst chapter have to be the final chapter of yours!
You cannot change yesterday, but you can surrender yesterday to the God who still holds tomorrow.
HEART ASSESSMENT 
: Ask yourself: How has the regret in your life that could have led you to self-destruction been used by God to lead you toward repentance?
HEART 
CHALLENGE: This week, ask yourself: How can I deal with the regrets of my life? Take a moment to ask yourself if I have sinned in this regret. If you sinned, did you ask God to forgive you? Ask God to redeem the loss and believe that He will. As you move beyond the regret(s) and into your waiting, can you move forward while seeking God’s counsel? Do you also have a
sense of disappointment over what has not happened, such as regretting wasted time that could have been more productive?
GOD’S STANDING ORDERS FOR Regret ~ The Master Physician’s Prescription For Life. God’s Word is the prescription; our obedience is the administration. We must take a daily dose, never skip doses, and apply consistently!
Standing Orders Summary
Prescriber: God, the Master Physician
Patient: Believer in Christ
Authority: God’s Unchanging Word (Inspired & Eternal)
Ultimate Purpose: Wholeness: spirit, soul, and body, 1 Thessalonians 5:23
Standing Orders for the Heart
God’s Word Is the Prescription for Life. The Bible is not merely information; it is God’s divine treatment plan for healing, restoration, wisdom, and wholeness. “Prescribe and teach these things.” 1 Timothy 4:11.
Unfollowed Prescriptions Do Not Produce Healing ~ Just as medication must be taken correctly to be effective, God’s Word must be applied consistently to experience transformation.
God’s Standing Orders Are Already Written: God has already addressed the conditions of the human heart! Healing begins when we stop rewriting the prescription and start trusting the Master Physician.
♥ regret ~ repent, receive forgiveness, learn, and move forward ~ 2 Corinthians 7:10; Philippians 3:13-14
♥ guilt ~ confess and receive God’s cleansing, 1 John 1:9
♥ fear ~ trust God’s presence, Isaiah 41:10
♥ anxiety ~ pray instead of worry, Philippians 4:6-7
♥ bitterness ~ obey God’s Word, Ephesians 4:31-32
♥ unforgiveness ~ forgive others, Matthew 6:14
♥ hopelessness ~ embrace God’s hope, Hebrews 6:19
♥ brokenness ~ receive God’s healing, Psalm 147:3
♥ identity struggles / emotional wounds ~ trust God, Isaiah 55:3
♥ confusion ~ trust God’s direction, Proverbs 3:5-6
His Word still stands, and His truth still works. “The word of our God stands forever.” Isaiah 40:8 Like Peter, remember that failure does not have to be final. Like David, create in me a clean heart and renew a right spirit within me. I surrender my regrets to You.
We cannot rewrite yesterday, but by God’s grace, we will not allow yesterday to write the rest of our story.
LET’S PRAY: Father God, thank You for Your authoritative, inerrant, and inspired Word that gives us clear instructions for how to deal with the regrets in our lives. Lord, today we bring You our regrets, the decisions we wished we could change, the opportunities we missed, the words we wish we could take back, the time we wish we had used differently, and the sins for which we have repented. Father, where we have sinned, forgive us. Where we have made mistakes, give us wisdom. Where we have caused hurt, show us how to make amends. Where we have suffered loss, heal our hearts. And where nothing can be changed, give me grace to accept yesterday without allowing it to control today. Father, keep me from confusing conviction with condemnation. When You convict us, help us repent and change. When the enemy reminds us of what You have already forgiven, help us stand upon the truth of Your Word. Restore the joy that regret has stolen. Teach us the lessons of yesterday without requiring us to live there. Redeem what can be redeemed, restore what is within Your will to restore, and give me courage to release what I cannot change. Help me keep moving forward, keep following You, and keep running the race You have assigned to me, in the Precious, Powerful, and Preeminent Name of Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord. Amen.
Your regret may explain part of your yesterday, but it does not have the authority to determine your tomorrow. Learn from it. Repent where necessary. Receive God’s grace. Then, LET IT GO!
REFERENCES: Logos Bible Study, WORDsearch, Life Application Series, Various Commentaries, and Study Bibles.