Regret
We all know the sting of regret. It comes in many forms—sadness, disappointment over something said or done, a choice made, or a missed opportunity. Regret can leave us with remorse, sorrow, even heartache. And if left unchecked, it often grows into bitterness, resentment, guilt, shame, or blame. What begins as a moment of failure becomes a roadblock that drags behind us like a weight, making it hard to move forward.
Peter knew this all too well. His story reminds us of the tension between good intentions and God’s instructions. He loved Jesus and meant well—but he also denied Him three times when fear overtook him. And regret followed.
The psalmist put words to what regret and guilt feel like:
“You, God, know my folly; my guilt is not hidden from you.” (Psalm 69:5 NIV)
“When I kept silent, my bones wasted away through my groaning all day long. For day and night your hand was heavy on me; my strength was sapped as in the heat of summer. Then I acknowledged my sin to you and did not cover up my iniquity. I said, ‘I will confess my transgressions to the Lord.’ And you forgave the guilt of my sin.” Psalm 32:3-5 (NIV)
Guilt is not God’s payback—it’s not Him saying, “You deserve this.” Instead, forgiveness is His gift, given at priceless cost. If we are laboring under guilt, the invitation is to pray, “Search me, O God,” confess, and allow Him to lift the weight.
Even when regret whispers shame, God’s Word reminds us we are not defined by it:
“You know how I am scorned, disgraced and shamed; all my enemies are before you.” Psalm 69:19 (NIV)
“Let me not be put to shame, Lord, for I have cried out to you; but let the wicked be put to shame and be silent in the realm of the dead.” Psalm 31:17 (NIV)
“In you, Lord, I have taken refuge; let me never be put to shame. In your righteousness, rescue me and deliver me; turn your ear to me and save me. Be my rock of refuge, to which I can always go; give the command to save me, for you are my rock and my fortress.” Psalm 71:1-3 (NIV)
We don’t have to carry shame. We can accept His forgiveness.
“’Come now, let us settle the matter,’ says the Lord.‘Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool.” Isaiah 1:18 (NIV)
“Who is a God like you, who pardons sin and forgives the transgression of the remnant of his inheritance? You do not stay angry forever but delight to show mercy.
“You will again have compassion on us; you will tread our sins underfoot and hurl all our iniquities into the depths of the sea.” Micah 7:18-19 (NIV)
“As far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us.” Psalm 103:12 (NIV)
““I, even I, am he who blots out your transgressions, for my own sake, and remembers your sins no more.” Isaiah 43:25 (NIV)
“Surely it was for my benefit that I suffered such anguish. In your love you kept me from the pit of destruction; you have put all my sins behind your back.” Isaiah 38:17 (NIV)
This is who God is: the One who forgives, restores, and removes our guilt so completely that He remembers it no more.
Peter’s failure did not disqualify him. Jesus restored him and commissioned him to lead. What once was regret became redemption. The same is true for us. Guilt thrives when we keep it hidden, but grace blooms when we bring it to the Lord.
