Guilt and Regret

When you reflect on 2008 do you have some guilt or regret? Every year when I write my new goals and reflect on the previous year's goals I go through this regret and guilt thing!

In Romans 7 Paul talks about regret - he says "I have a desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. For what I do is not the good I want to do; no, the evil I do not want to do - this I keep on doing."

Do you find yourself stuck on a hampster wheel? You want to get off and do what is right, maybe stop yelling at the children, get more organized, or eat healthy - but the good you know you should do, you cannot carry out and the thing you wish you'd stop doing you keep on doing???

Well, the solution is found one chapter later in Romans 8. Paul says in verse 37 "No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us." We simply cannot live in Romans 7 - in regret and guilt! We must move on to Romans 8 and be a conqueror! We must abide in Christ - it is through Him that we can conquer whatever it is that in 2008 we failed at.

Amy Carmichael said "Looking ahead if He tarry, I can see for you attack of many kinds, painful days, travail. But this I know; you will regret nothing when you look back, except lack of faith, fortitude and love. You will never regret having thrown all to the winds in order to follow your Master and Lord. Nothing will seem too much to have done or suffered when we see Him and the mark of His wounds...nothing will seem enough."

Today, do not let guilt and regret hold you back. Repent and move on and abide in the truths of Romans 8 as a conqueror. My 5th and final goal (I blogged on the first 4 last week) is to live as Amy Carmichael said - "with all thrown to the winds to follow my Master and Lord." With God's help and grace, let's make 2009 look different than 2008!

Walk with the King!

Courtney

http://www.womenlivingwell.org/