January 29, 2026

We all have regrets. We could have done more. We could have done better. We could have prayed more faithfully or used our God given gifts in more powerful ways. But in the end, Jesus forgives, the slate is wiped clean and blissful peace envelopes us.

I have to tell a story here. It was a time my Mom came to church with me and it was only a few months after my father died from cancer. I spent eighteen days in the hospital living quarters with her as he struggled to survive. During this time some facts came to light that had to have made her angry. He had several bank accounts she didn’t know about. More importantly, he had never shared banking info, debts or details of their financial status with her. She was about to be left in confusion as she figured out her situation. My brother later straightened the largest details and helped her learn where she stood.

That is background for her day at church. One of our Associate Pastos preached. He talked about feelings where people could have done more or done better. Even when we don’t do all we can in a situation, we are not meant to feel guilty because a prayer isn’t answered. Or when it isn’t answered the way we want. Maybe because she’d been pretty angry at my Dad, my Mom had a chip on her shoulder. What she heard that Pastor say was if she had prayed harder, her husband would not have died. Of course, his message was meant for everyone in the room and it was meant to free people from remorse. We must listen to all messages without taking them personally or attaching private details to them that the speaker could not know.

Lord God, Help me to hear Your messages in the most helpful way. If You are speaking to me directly, let me understand Your love and compassion. Thank You for strengthening my faith, for growing my insight, and for helping me know things are not always about me. I pray when words have to be said for someone else, no one takes the message the wrong way. Bless us, I pray, so we absorb every word You planned for us to hear. Let guilt never take the place of wisdom.

So whatever you believe about these things, keep it between yourself and God. The person who does what he knows is right shouldn’t feel guilty. He is blessed. Romans 14:22