“The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in him, and he helps me.” Psalm 28:7

This is huge: it changed the way I view my relationship with Jesus,  especially when I’m experiencing regret and guilt and am anxious to face him after making poor choices. 

What was Judas’ response to his shame, his guilt in betraying and denying Jesus? Judas ran and hid from Jesus. Then, he committed suicide. He didn’t trust that he would be forgiven. Just like Adam and Eve in the garden. They disbelieved God’s goodness and shrank from his love.

What was Peter’s response to his shame, his guilt in betraying and denying Jesus? Peter trusted Jesus enough to face him and allowed Jesus to heal him! He TRUSTED, he didn’t run away. As he sat on that beach when Jesus came to him after his resurrection, after that night of no-fish fishing, and Jesus asked him three times, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” It must have killed Peter inside to have to face him, but he did. Jesus’ response? “Peter, I still love you, I still have  plan for you!” Peter allowed Jesus to forgive him and heal him instead of running away and quitting like Judas. 

Peter or Judas?

God has unfinished business for each one of us. He has kingdom work for us that the enemy is trying to prevent us from doing while we wallow in regret! Can you imagine if Peter took the Judas route? Who would have preached at Pentecost and brought 3000 to Christ in a single day? What would the early church have been like without Peter? Upon this rock I will build my church. Can you imagine life without Peter? Without the wisdom in his Letters? 

When we are tempted by Satan to let the remorse overwhelm us and take charge, we need to pray a prayer of thanks: “God, I know that when I let go and give You control, good things happen in my life. Thank You for loving me enough to make all things—even the messes I’ve made for myself—work out for my benefit. Your grace will conquer all.”  

And by doing that “We destroy every obstacle that keeps us from knowing God. We take captive every thought and make it obey Christ.” 2 Corinthians 10:5    

Our challenge

Don’t let Satan win! We can’t let our guilt and our remorse and our regret stifle us and paralyze us so that we can’t do the work that God intended for us. He knew we were going to fail, but he’s going put us right back on the track. As Peter said to Cornelius “everyone who believes in him will have their sins forgiven.”   God is good and, no matter what happens, he can make all things work out for your good!

Let’s  TRUST God to work it out for our good! Let’s honor God by adopting an attitude of TRUST.