I’ve often heard, explicitly or implicitly, that we might be able to understand and know we are forgiven by God for certain things but still feel like the memory stains how we see ourselves and—we worry—how others see us. That worry then makes us come to doubt all we’ve ever learned about God’s love for us. 

It is normal to feel regret at some point, but if it lasts too long, it can make us feel guilty, anxious, and unsure of ourselves. Oddly enough, though, regret can also be helpful from a therapy point of view. If we are kind and curious about it, regret can become a chance to think, grow, and learn.