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Regret isn't Wrong

Genesis 6:6 And the LORD regretted that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him to his heart. (ESV)

(I know that that does not sound like an optimistic way to start a devotional, but bear with me for just a moment.)
The thing that sticks out to me from this verse is the word "regret". I think so often in our culture, we feel that regrets mean we've done something wrong. But it doesn't. God is perfect, so He never messed up, and yet He is capable of feeling regret. So, regret is not a sin indicator. I think that often the devil uses regret to try to make us turn around, even if we're headed on the right path. For example, let's say you knew that your friends were cheating on a test, so you told the teacher. If they made fun of you or got mad at you later, you might regret your decision to tell the teacher what was going on. That doesn't mean you did the wrong thing--you very much did the right thing by telling your teacher what happened and trying to help your friends be honest.

The only sin indicator in our lives is guilt, but that's also something that the devil tries to twist. False guilt can come from the devil and is meant to distract you from accomplishing the things God has for you to do. So, when guilt strikes, pray for discernment and remember Romans 8:1 There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. (ESV)
Also, 1 John 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. (ESV)
If you have admitted your sin to Jesus, asked for forgiveness, and turned from it, you are forgiven. Any remaining guilt is false guilt.

Finally, Genesis 6:6 is important to keep in mind because it shows us why we should strive to keep from sinning even though Jesus will always forgive us. This verse shows us that our sin grieves the heart of God because he hates to see us hurting ourselves, and if we truly love God, we will want to grieve Him as little as possible.
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