[ no regrets. ]

   I'll keep this short, sweet, and to the point.

   I'm sure we've all done things in the past that we're not proud of, right? Unhealthy or broken relationships, lies, traps, alchohol abuse.. the list goes on.

   And as much as we try to move on, sometimes these things manage to find their way back into our minds regardless of how much we put it out again or try to think of other things. It taints your mind. It creeps in and reminds you of how great you're not. Of what a failure that situation was. Of what a failure you are.

   Or perhaps it's not that serious, and it's more a matter of feeling foolish or stupid. Perhaps it's more of a "I regret doing that" kind of thing.

  
   Ah.

   Regret.

   And beforehand, condemnation.

   It's strongly on my heart to say that regret is merely another form of condemnation and has no place in your life.

   Granted, there are definitely things that maybe shouldn't have happened. Fine, whatever. We've been there, done that.

   But the only failure that can exist in these things is if we don't learn anything from it. And then take that and move forward.

   I know the Bible says that there is no condemnation for those in Jesus [Romans 8.1], which is lovely and wonderful. But it means nothing if we don't believe it.

   And it means even less if we continue to condemn ourselves.

   Obviously the first step is believing that after you've come to Him, broken and seeking forgiveness, your mistakes and sins are completely wiped away. And that there is absolutely no condemnation from Him in any way. He picks you back up and pieces the bits of your heart in place and guides you along the way again.

   But the part I think we all tend to forget is the part where we have to forgive ourselves. To stop condeming ourselves. And to not regret the things we've done.

   Everytime you look back on something and regret whatever it is, you're denying what Jesus has already wiped clean. What doesn't exist anymore. You are denying forgiveness.

   Let it go.

   Don't regret.

   See the mistakes as lessons learned.

   His grace has the ability to step in the place of what happened and turn it around for your good -- and to even go beyond that.

   I spent far too many months in self-hatred and regret and condemnation after an awful "relationship" in which I had quickly found myself in the deep end.

   It plagued me. Bits of it would come back into my memory as much as I would try to blot it out. Ultimately it came down to the fact that I had to realize He had already forgotten it. So why was I still dwelling on it?

   I can't justly explain the complete freedom I felt after I finally stopped trying to bring on my own punishment. It was incredible. I finally realized He didn't think less of me.

   No regrets.

   Live in freedom. Live in knowing the things of the past are merely that: they're past.

   Rejoice in what He has brought you from.