A Prayer for When You Have Regrets
By: Kristine Brown
“Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death.” (2 Corinthians 7:10 NIV)
It had been a year since we relocated, and my husband still struggled to find a job. After making the decision to move closer to family, the career opportunity that brought us here fell through, leaving him unemployed. We’d prayed over this decision. We sought God’s guidance. Yet every day I carried a weight of regret for wanting to move. If only I could go back and do things differently.
Regret isn’t always a bad thing. It can point us toward God and beckon us to seek forgiveness when we’ve done something wrong. But when we don’t deal with the regret we have over past choices, it can create heaviness in our hearts. And the longer we hold on to regret, the more condemned we feel.
In his letter to the Corinthians, Paul gives the key to letting go of regret and living in freedom. He had shared some hard truth with the church— things they needed to hear. But then Paul encouraged them by acknowledging the sorrow they showed for their actions. The kind of sorrow that leads to repentance. “Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death.” (2 Corinthians 7:10)
Verse 11 goes on to show the value of allowing our regret to point us to Jesus, “See what this godly sorrow has produced in you: what earnestness, what eagerness to clear yourselves, what indignation, what alarm, what longing, what concern, what readiness to see justice done.” When we deal with regrets the right way, God produces good fruit in us.
Let’s acknowledge the regret that weighs us down today, then take our cares to God with this prayer. He is ready and willing to help us find healing when we have regrets.
Dear Heavenly Father,
Thank you for your powerful Word that offers hope when I feel weighed down with regret. Thank you for showing me the difference between worldly sorrow and the Godly sorrow that leads me back to you. Whether I’m holding on to regret for past sins or regret about decisions made, you’ve made a way for me to find forgiveness and freedom.
Help me, Lord. I realize I’ve been carrying around regrets for my mistakes. I bring those to you today. Thank you for forgiving me and cleansing me from all unrighteousness. Thank you for your son Jesus, who takes away my sin so I can have life.
In His name I pray, Amen.
For more spiritual growth resources, check out this free email study from Kristine Brown, Walking with Rahab: A 5-Day Challenge to Better Decision Making. You’ll find weekly encouragement to help you “become more than yourself through God’s Word” at her website, kristinebrown.net. Kristine is the author of the book, Cinched: Living with Unwavering Trust in an Unfailing God.
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