Life Beyond Regret

It is probably safe to say we all have them.  All of us live in a world in which we, too often, find ourselves looking back with some level of regret.  We don't always get it right.  Despite our best intentions or resolutions, we sometimes wind up hurting each other.  No one wants them, but we do sometimes have to deal with them.  Regrets.

So, what do we do when we blow it.  Mess up.  Hurt someone else or ourselves, or both.  The answer is not hard to figure out, but it is more difficult for many of us than we might wish to admit.  It is hard sometimes, but it is incredibly healing and necessary.

A willingness to stop and reflect on what we have done, and look at it in the light of the cross, and agree with God's take on it.  That process of stopping and reflecting and agreeing is what we call confession.  Sometimes that only involves agreeing with God.  Sometimes it involves sharing with others to participate in the healing process.

One helpful practice is to take a few moments at the end of each day to pause and prayerfully reflect on the questions of, "Where did I see God's grace today, and participated in it" along with "Where did I fail to see or participate in God's graciousness today?"  It can be a rich and prayerful moment to begin the process of healing.  But healing cannot happen when we do not admit that injury has occurred and that healing is needed.  Some other specific questions worth asking include:

Why did I do that?

What happened as a result?

What can I do now to facilitate healing?

This is the experience that Pastor Jon invites us to consider today.  If you would like to listen to the sermon again or perhaps for the first time, you can access our sermon library by clicking here.  You can also access the on-line version here.