New Morning Mercies #81

No need to be paralyzed by regret, because your slate has been wiped clean by God’s amazing forgiving grace.

Let yourself bask today in the comfort of these passages:

And you, who were once alienated and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds, he has now reconciled in his body of flesh by his death, in order to present you holy and blameless and above reproach before him. (Col. 1:21–22)

For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life. (Rom. 5:10)

Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us—for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who is hanged on a tree”—so that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles. (Gal. 3:13–14)

For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. (Eph. 2:8–9)

And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross. (Col. 2:13–14)

There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death. (Rom. 8:1–2)

Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God. (Rom. 5:1–2)

In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. (1 John 4:10)

The message is clear! It is most clearly stated by that comfort-stimulating passage from Colossians 2, quoted above. Let your mind embrace the comfort of these words, comfort that is nowhere else to be found: “[God has canceled] the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross.”

If God has willingly canceled whatever regret causes you to hold on to, you are free to let it go as well. You are free to quit punishing yourself for debts that God has already canceled. Now, that’s freedom!

For further study and encouragement: Colossians 2