Week 5 The Next Day - Shame and Regrets

As we intentionally move toward choices for health and healing it’s a good time to take stock of what we wish we could “do over” from our past, and in our relationships with our loved ones. As we learned last night, there is no place for shame in our journey, but regret is a natural part of our learning and growing process. Regret propels us to make positive changes.  It also propels us to re-evaluate our behavior and move toward a future that includes increased self-awareness, acceptance, and love.

Take some time this week looking back over the past 24 months of your life.  Write down a few things you wish had gone differently, things you wish you could change, or do over. As you review your list, also jot down what you can do differently in the future as a result of your awareness. If you wish you had said, “I love you” more often to your loved one, can you begin working those words into your everyday exchanges in small ways? If you regret the state of your relationship when your loved one died, take a look at your current relationships and determine if there are any areas that need to be shored up, restored, or redeemed right now.  Use your honesty and bravery to give yourself a new road map for the future. You still have time to make changes in your life that will bring you increased peace, contentment, and joy as you let God bring forth new things from the darkness of your loss.

“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.”  Romans 8:28