Many of us crucify ourselves between two thieves – regret for the past and fear of the future. Fulton Oursler
Nasty business, regret. Memories of things said and left unsaid, things done and left undone.
Recently I came across a journal entry from a number of years ago, a dark time for me. I wrote:
I am tired and sad, so tired and sad. Everything is an effort. I long to awaken in the morning and anticipate the day, to rise with joy at the prospect of getting started.
This was not first time I had experienced this struggle. But it was the next line that reminded me about the extraordinary nature of that season:
My heart is consumed with regret.
Looking back I see clearly the spiritual assault and the paralyzing effect of dwelling on the past. Regret can devolve into a kind of mental infection, chewing its way through memory and eating at the heart of one’s life story. The tricky aspect of regret is that, while you and I understand that the blood of Christ has done its beautiful work on sin, our remembrance of mistakes of commission and omission can haunt us. And make us vulnerable to fear. 
We’d like parts of our history written on mental plexiglass with liquid chalk. Then we could simply pick up our mental eraser and eliminate the ugly parts.
Fact is, although the past cannot be altered, nothing in our lives need be wasted. Regret and fear waste the potential for good that our difficult experiences could produce. So, here are some suggestions:
- Acknowledge your struggle in prayer.
- Be specific. More than once, Jesus asked someone in great need, “What do you want me to do for you?”
- Ask God to release the power of regret and fear over your mind
- and replace them with opportunities to share the lessons from your experiences.
Would you be willing to share what you’ve learned? with your children at the appropriate time? with someone in a struggle you’ve been through? There is healing in that kind of transparency and generosity. And it can become a beneficial part of your legacy.
Essayist Phillis Theroux writes: “Mistakes are the usual bridge between experience and wisdom.” Keep the lesson, discard the regret. Walk the bridge.
Are there old regrets the enemy means for evil that God wants to use for good – through you? Write them down. Then tell God you’re making them available.