No Regret

Installment #7 of my self-assigned project to study the "re" words in God's Word. (For further explanation of this undertaking, refer to the entry titled "Reach, Read and Reap" from February 3, 2011.)

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 Regret


(verb) to feel sorrow or remorse over a past action; to remember with distress or longing

"For the kind of sorrow God wants us to experience leads us away from sin and results in salvation. There’s no regret for that kind of sorrow. But worldly sorrow, which lacks repentance, results in spiritual death." 2 Corinthians 7:10 (NLT)

Regret resulting from sorrow over sin that leads to repentance is a good thing.

Sorrow and repentance are two different things. Sorrow is a feeling of anguish or heartache. Repentance is a decision to confess the sin and make a change. Sorrow without repentance can lead to the kind of regret that weighs your spirit down, or to such a despressive state it leads to death. Peter denied Christ, but with great sorrow over his sin he repented. Judas, on the other hand, was sorry he betrayed Christ but refused to repent. His regret led to physical death (he killed himself).

Lord, I want to live a life of no regret. Help me to keep a clean slate before You in Jesus' name, amen.