The Connection Corner

A daily source of encouragement and inspiration to connect your heart to hope and faith.

Don’t Rehearse The Regret

2 Corinthians 10:5 — We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ.

There I was, minding my own business, and suddenly I got assaulted by my past.

All I wanted was a nice, quiet morning… but instead, I was left reliving the time I face-planted down the stairs in middle school.

It doesn’t stop there.

I get up and head to work, hoping music will drown it out, but nope. I’m replaying that conversation I completely fumbled three years ago.

By the time I arrive at the office, I sit at my desk and try to push through the project in front of me, but I’m distracted again. This time by the joke I made to my boss that made me look like an idiot.

Why do I do that?

Can you relate?

We often think of anxiety as fear of the future, but sometimes, it’s the past that grips us just as tightly. If we’re not careful, those memories can begin to shape how we live moving forward.

Anxiety can cripple us. It can affect our daily interactions and hold us back from being who Christ created us to be.

Scripture tells us to take every thought captive and bring it to Christ. That doesn’t mean we’ll never have painful thoughts or memories again. It means learning to recognize the thoughts that keep pulling us backward, bring them to Christ, and refuse to let them run the show.

When Christ died for us, He didn’t just offer forgiveness for our sin. He also gives us freedom from the condemnation and shame that can keep us trapped in our past.

The memories may still exist. The regret may still surface. The painful moments may still come to mind. But in Christ, they don’t have to control us.

They can be shadows, not chains.

That’s why the old hymn tells us to turn our eyes toward Jesus and look fully into His wonderful face. In the light of His glorious grace, the things that once seemed so big begin to grow strangely dim.

So, what if today, when that old memory comes back, you don’t rehearse it all over again?

What if, instead, you bring it to Jesus and look at Him?

His grace is bigger than the version of your past that keeps trying to resurrect itself.

Because in Christ, there isn’t just forgiveness for our past.

There is freedom from it.

A MOMENT TO REFLECT

What past memory, regret, or painful thought do you find yourself replaying most often?
When that thought comes back, what does it make you believe about yourself, your past, or your future?
What would it look like to take that thought captive and bring it honestly to Jesus instead of rehearsing it again?
Are there places where shame or regret from your past is still influencing the way you live today?
What truth about Jesus and His grace do you need to remember the next time your past tries to pull you backward?

L Y R I C S

Turn your eyes upon Jesus
Look full in His wonderful face
And the things of earth
Will grow strangely dim
In the light of His glory and grace

Words and Music by Helen Lemmel

September 15, 2026/by Brendan McClain

Look Up, It’s Not Over

Bri Dunn, Daily Devotional

Psalm 3:3 – But you, O Lord, are a shield around me; you are my glory, the one who holds my head high.

“He lifts us up. He’s my glory and the lifter of our head.”

I love that picture.

And if you watch sports, maybe you’ve seen something like this. Years ago, there was a championship game where a young player missed a really important shot for his team.

He hung his head, and before maybe even two seconds had passed, his teammate lifted his chin, patted him on the back, and said, “It’s not over. We’ve got this.”

I’ve always remembered that because I thought, I want to surround myself with people like that, too.

But actually, I want to be that person.

Because there have been plenty of times when I’ve noticed somebody hanging their head a little low. Maybe they’re discouraged. Maybe they’re disappointed in themselves. Maybe they’re carrying something they haven’t told anybody about.

I’ll say a silent prayer for them. But sometimes I think, Lord, I don’t just want to pray for them. Maybe You want to encourage them through me. I need to walk over there.

God is the One who lifts our heads, and I love that picture because often, we don’t need somebody to fix everything. We just need somebody to remind us to look up.

So, if you know somebody who’s been walking around with their head down lately—your sister, your brother, your coworker, your neighbor—say the prayer, and then maybe go say something to them, too.

Because I’m thankful that God lifts our heads. And sometimes, in His kindness, He lets us be the hands that help.

A MOMENT TO REFLECT

Is there an area of your life where you’ve been hanging your head lately—feeling discouraged, disappointed, or overwhelmed?
Who has been someone God used to lift your head and remind you that you weren’t alone?
Is there someone in your life right now whose head seems to be hanging a little low? What might they need to hear from you?
When you notice someone hurting, are you willing to do more than pray for them and take a step toward them?
Who might God be asking you to encourage today—and what could you say or do to help lift their head?

September 14, 2026/by Bri Dunn

Come As You Are

Daily Devotional, Stories About Songs

Isaiah 1:18 — “Come now, let’s settle this,” says the Lord. “Though your sins are like scarlet, I will make them as white as snow. Though they are red like crimson, I will make them as white as wool.”

You know, we are surprisingly good at hiding. Aren’t we?

I think we learn it early.

If we’re sad, we say, “Oh, I’m just tired.” If we’re embarrassed, we change the subject. If we make a mess of something, we clean up the visible parts and hope nobody notices what happened.

And sometimes we do the same thing with God.

It’s easy to imagine we need to get ourselves together before we come to Him. I know I do. I tell myself, “Pray more. Do better. Stop this. Fix that.”

I tell myself I’ll do better. I’ll get my act together, and then I’ll come back to God.

The problem is… “then” can take a really long time.

But Jesus doesn’t tell us to get ourselves together before we come to Him. He invites us to come.

That’s why Crowder’s “Come As You Are” lands so deeply. It isn’t a song about pretending we’re okay. It’s an invitation to stop pretending. To lay down our burdens. To lay down our shame.

Isaiah 1:18 gives us this stunning picture: our sins may be scarlet, but God can make them white as snow.

You see, grace doesn’t require us to hide the stain. Grace is what God does with it.

So maybe faith isn’t about bringing God your best version. Maybe it’s about bringing Him the real one—the tired, ashamed, and broken version too.

Because Jesus isn’t waiting for you to become worthy enough to come.

He’s inviting you to come now and let Him begin making you whole.

So today, please hear this:

Come as you are.

A MOMENT TO REFLECT

What are you tempted to hide from God or pretend you have under control?
Do you ever find yourself thinking you need to “get your act together” before you can come to God? What makes you feel that way?
What burden, shame, or failure do you need to stop hiding and bring honestly to Jesus?
How does it change the way you see God when you remember that His grace is not dependent on you bringing Him your best version?
What would it look like for you to “come as you are” to Jesus today and allow Him to begin His work in you?

L Y R I C S

Come out of sadness
From wherever you’ve been
Come broken hearted
Let rescue begin
Come find your mercy
Oh sinner come kneel
Earth has no sorrow
That heaven can’t heal
Earth has no sorrow
That heaven can’t heal

So lay down your burdens
Lay down your shame
All who are broken
Lift up your face
Oh wanderer come home
You’re not too far
So lay down your hurt
Lay down your heart
Come as you are

There’s hope for the hopeless
And all those who’ve strayed
Come sit at the table
Come taste the grace
There’s rest for the weary
Rest that endures
Earth has no sorrow
That heaven can’t cure

So lay down your burdens
Lay down your shame
All who are broken
Lift up your face
Oh wanderer come home
You’re not too far
So lay down your hurt
Lay down your heart
Come as you are
Come as you are
Fall in his arms
Come as you are
There’s joy for the morning
Oh sinner be still
Earth has no sorrow
That heaven can’t heal
Earth has no sorrow
That heaven can’t heal