My friend, I can sense the weight of guilt and shame that's been bearing down on you. You're struggling to forgive yourself for past mistakes, and it's like a heavy chain that's holding you back from moving forward. Let me tell you, as someone who's been in the ministry for a while, I've seen many people struggle with this very same issue. But here's the thing: you can't undo your past, and you can't go back to redo your history. What's done is done, and the only thing you can do is learn from it and move forward.
As a pastor, I've seen people get stuck in the past, reliving the same regrets and what-ifs over and over again. But that's not living, my friend. That's just existing. You have to take advantage of your past, but don't live there. Don't let your mistakes define you. Instead, take those lessons and use them to become stronger, wiser, and more compassionate. Remember, forgiveness doesn't mean forgetting, but it does mean not holding a person's sin against them. And as for you, my friend, you need to extend that same mercy to yourself.
You know, I've been reading a lot of science fiction novels lately, and one of the themes that keeps popping up is the idea of redemption. It's the idea that even in the darkest of times, there's always hope for a new beginning. And that's exactly what God offers us through Jesus Christ. He forgives us, not because we deserve it, but because He loves us. And if He can forgive us, why can't we forgive ourselves? It's time to let go of that guilt and shame, my friend, and start living the life you were meant to live.