Repentance. It simply means to change your mind, turn away from one thing unto another…180 degrees…at least that’s what I learned in Bible college. This word has recently taken on new meaning for me and God is using it to transform me from the inside out. For years, I failed to see that repentance is to be a lifestyle…not just something we do every now and then when we get really convicted about something we’ve done wrong. Rather, it is more of an ongoing and growing heart posture before God, choosing to acknowledge and believe HIS truth and then come to him in humility understanding that his grace enables us to boldly approach his loving open arms even though we deserve death and destruction for our sin. Peter denied Christ 3 times, but after Jesus’ death and resurrection, Jesus leads him to repentance and gives him the responsibility of feeding his sheep, the church, the very bride of Christ that he loves more deeply than we can understand. But what did Peter have to do in order to step into this repentance? Say a prayer, perform a ritual, and then it would all fall into place? No! He had to choose DAILY…even minute by minute…to live for Jesus and not for himself. It required a change of heart and what he believed about Jesus…it’s about faith in HIM. This is because repentance is about choosing Christ over ourselves and our own fallen beliefs and desires. Our beliefs drive our behaviors. Once we begin to believe that God loves us, has forgiven us for our sin, and truly desires an intimate relationship with us…it will change how we live. The moment we are tempted, we cry out to God and repent! We turn from and reject selfish thoughts and actions and lies and turn towards God, believing in truth and his love. This pours over into our relationships with others. Suddenly, it changes how I relate to my wife…to my kids…to everyone around me. I begin to repent in my heart and even out loud to God and to others when I give in to temptation and sin against myself or them. This becomes a regular way of relating. It becomes normal. I will not cease to be tempted to sin this side of heaven, and may even continue to sin till the day I die though Jesus has made it possible for me to have victory over sin. But in the temptation and even the falling, I can choose to turn to God and live a lifestyle of ongoing repentance.
For me, the hardest part is repenting to people, not to God. I know he has forgiven me. Sometimes it is easier for me to believe this and live in it than others, but he gives a peace when I repent to him. I don’t have that guarantee with people, and it is tough! But when I repent to my wife and she accepts it and forgives me and says, “Be free!” There is no greater feeling in the world. I want this to become a way of life. I want a lifestyle of repentance to define my relationships. I want to be free from the bondage of self and turn TOWARDS God and others with all my heart, soul, mind, and strength.
There is soooo much more I could say about this, but those thoughts were rattling around and I wanted to share a little bit about what God is teaching me. I encourage you to consider what it looks like for you to live a lifestyle of repentance.
Jonathan Humbert said...
1Dave,
This is the very thing I needed to hear; and the very thing I need to work on as well. If I stop and think about what Jesus actually did for me, because of me, I am humbled and even shamed at how I treat Him. What a good way to look at this; isn’t all of the Christian life supposed to be a change in our heart attitude in a daily (moment-by-moment) sort of way. God’s blessing on your daily quest for an intimate relationship with Him.
Jon
04/12/10 6:20 PM | Comment Link