That’s one of the promises from the emotions anonymous program.
I like to meditate on it daily and allow The Lord to speak to me through His Holy Spirit.
“We do not regret the past or wish to shut the door on it,” means you come to a place where your past—no matter how messy, painful, or shameful—no longer controls you. Instead of living in regret, wishing it had never happened, you see it as part of your story. You don’t shut the door because your past becomes a source of wisdom, empathy, and even ministry.
Spiritually speaking, God doesn’t erase our past, He redeems it. This makes me think of Joseph in Genesis 50:20: “You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done.” That’s the heart of this promise to me, knowing that my history, instead of being a chain around my ankle, becomes a testimony in my mouth. Your history, the past—can also become a testimony in your mouth.
Regret is replaced by acceptance. Not acceptance as in “what I did was okay,” or “what they did to me was fine,” but acceptance that it happened and that God can use to guide you today. Instead of trying to slam the door shut in shame, bitterness and anger, you open it to let the light in.
This is why this matter
If you’re constantly regretting, you’re living in the past. If you’re constantly trying to shut the door, you’re living in fear. Regret neither lets you fully live in today or think far ahead.
This promise is about freedom from being haunted by the past and finding freedom in God’s transformative power.
Living this out requieres us to reframe our story: Instead of “I wish that never happened,” say, “That season taught me, shaped me, and now I can walk with someone else through it.”
Use your scars as signposts: People don’t trust someone who looks untouched by life. They trust someone who’s been through the fire and came out with wisdom. Someone who’s able to turn from the fire of life, to the fire of The Holy Spirit and submit to be refined.
Pray through regret: That’s absolutely okay! When regret stirs your emotions and tries to dictate your day, you can say, “Lord, thank You that even this is in Your hands. Show me how to use it for good.”
Reader, this promise is really about God redeeming the narrative of your life. You don’t have to be chained to your past, and you don’t have to hide it. You own it as part of your walk with Him, and you let Him use it to bless others.
Be blessed 🤍
©️2025 Denise Kilby New Hope MHCLC Assoc. All rights reserved.
