Unshackled Moments ~ January 12 ~ Fasting Regret

Well, we're a dozen days into the new year, and perfectly far enough to haven fallen short of a goal set, fallen back into a bad habit or epic failed a resolution made. I know I fell short of the mark of a goal I had set a few days ago. Maybe you truly don't try to make a new start in any way at the first of the year but have been struggling with regret over times of failure to walk in the freedom we've been called to, failure that it took so long to get where you need to be and family, friends and yourself suffered as you ran from God, or played the prodigal or refused to respond to the call. Or maybe there is that feeling that life would be better or easier if not for the mistakes of the past. If I hadn't done that thing then..... Regret is a heavy weight that hinders our forward progress toward God and eats away at our grateful heart like a cancer.

Ash Wednesday is coming up in less than a month, and some people will be contemplating on what to give up for Lent. Now, there is no requirement to fast before Easter. Nothing in the scriptures tells us a specific time we have to fast. There's freedom to observe fasts and dates and freedom not to. But if we do, we need to remember that it doesn't earn us anything and we fast to spend time with and to learn to get closer to our Daddy. Motives matter. And, if you are thinking in participating in Lent this season, may I suggest adding regret to your list?

I am serious, I think that it might be at the top of my list. To have a period just over a month long where I refuse to dwell on, or even entertain, thoughts of regret. And If I fail, I won't regret that either, but pick up where I dropped things and move on. Because Lamentations tells us that the mercies of God are new every morning. He doesn't wake us up with a don't screw today up like you did yesterday speech.We're the ones who beat ourselves up like that because of regret. He wakes us with You are forgiven, I love you, I will help you walk with Me. You just have to lean on me and let me do all the heavy lifting since you aren't powerful enough.

Regret says that we could have done more for God if we hadn't done whatever in the past. While that may be true, it doesn't matter. The past is gone. And while our whining thoughts about what we could have done had we not messed up in the past may or may not be true, it is a sure and true thing that we could do more for God today if we focus on God today and spending time with Him rather than thinking about the past and its perceived hindrances.

If there is something in the past that weighs us down that hasn't been death with, then by all means deal with it and move on. But if it's that same old thing coming back to torment, to fuel self-pity or our self-condemnation (we're supposed to kill self, not torture it), then let it go. Regrets just get in the way. Easier said than done? Yes, I know. But maybe we need to make a conscious effort. Take a period of time, like Lent season, or start early and get in an extra month to get refusing regret to become a habit. Regrets will come, but when they do, let us declare our forgiveness, our new status in Christ (He has made us new) and the truth of Romans 8:28 that even those things we regret are being used to bring us closer to God and give Him glory and then turn our thoughts to praise and worship and gratitude to God. Instead of slipping into self when thoughts of regret come up, turn our thoughts to surrender even more, get out of self.

Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things.

- Philippians 4:8

Regret doesn't make the list of things to think about, to chew on, to dwell on, to meditate on. Fasting from regret will be worth the effort it will take to force our thoughts to go elsewhere. And maybe we can learn to make it a lifetime fast.

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