Regert - 9.13.26 - EP1

Rain never stopped anyone from getting a good word today, and this one's worth every drop. Pastor kicked off the new series "Regret" by pointing at a scene most of us have replayed in our own lives, even if it never made SportsCenter: a coach who calls the wrong play at the worst possible moment. That was the story of Super Bowl 49, the goal-line interception, and the coach who stood at the podium afterward insisting he had "no regrets," even though his face told a different story. A 2004 survey found only 11% of Americans claim to have no regrets, and a follow-up found most of those people weren't being honest. The truth is simpler and a little harder to admit: we all have regrets, and we're probably headed for more.
The Side Effects of Every Decision
Every decision we make carries the risk of regret, the same way a prescription drug carries a list of side effects. Some choices are low impact, like picking the wrong movie for date night. You'll hear about it, but you'll survive. Others are high impact: career moves, relationships, finances, faith. Those regrets stick because they reshape our lives. The good news is that God offers a defense against them. James 1:5 says, "If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault," and it will be given to you. Wisdom isn't a reward for the spiritually elite; it's a gift for anyone who asks.
The Throne of Grace
But what about the regrets we already carry? That's where the offense comes in. Hebrews 4:15-16 describes Jesus as a high priest who "is not unable to empathize with our weaknesses," because he was tempted in every way we are, yet without sin. Because of that, we're invited to "approach God's throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need." A throne reveals what a king values most, and God's throne is a throne of grace. Grace deals with the sin behind our regrets. Mercy deals with the misery that regret leaves behind. Together, they mean we don't have to keep carrying what Jesus already came to lift.
The Heart We Can't Trust
So why do we keep making decisions we know we'll regret? Because, as the prophet Jeremiah wrote, "The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it?" Jeremiah watched king after king in Israel ignore wise counsel because their hearts were already set on a bad decision, and the consequences were devastating. Our hearts aren't just dishonest; they're deceitful, mixing truth and half-truth until a bad choice feels reasonable. That's why the question to ask before any high-impact decision isn't "what do I want," but "can I trust what I'm telling me?"
Four Steps Toward Wisdom
The path forward has four simple steps: admit that your heart can deceive you, get honest about what's really true in the decision ahead of you, stop and pray for wisdom, and ask God to heal the heart itself, because only he can change it. That last part matters most. We can't fix our own hearts. But when we place our faith in Jesus, God turns a heart of stone into a heart of flesh, one that actually desires his glory instead of its own short-term comfort.
Whatever regret you're carrying today, whether it's a decision from years ago or one you're circling right now, you don't have to face it alone or pretend it isn't there. Take a minute this week to sit with Jeremiah 17:9 and Hebrews 4:15-16 side by side, and ask God honestly whether you can trust what your own heart has been telling you. If this message meets you where you are, share it with someone who's been quietly carrying their own regret. You might be the reminder they need that grace and mercy are both still available at the throne.