Repentance, in a nutshell, is wrongdoing, apologies, forgiveness, and change. It’s turning away from previous behavior, attitude, or opinions and operating in a manner that is pleasing to God. Repentance is a powerful weapon against your temptations and can only be achieve with a pure heart. You have to be sincere and honest with yourself and God in order for it to be affective.
There are steps to achieving repentance. You have to experience true SORROW for what you have done. That sorrow has to weigh on you so heavily that you can no longer bear the pain of it and you come to terms that your wrongdoing is not of God. When you get to that point, you then need to CONFESS your wrongdoing to God. He is faithful and just to forgive us of our sins and to cleanse of all righteousness (1 John 1:9). Once you have Godly sorrow and confess of your sins, you are then ready to repent. You are ready to choose God’s way over your flesh. The final step to repentance is to CHANGE your life. Change your way of living so that it will be an image of God. You have probably heard of the acronym WWJD. That stands for “What Would Jesus Do?” This means that after you have repented, before you make any moves in life, you ask yourself WWJD?
Now, just because we repent does not mean that those same and other temptations won’t come our way. Repentance just means that you will probably be better equipped to handle them if they circle back around and they probably will. That’s why it’s best to choose righteousness and God on a daily basis.
Here is something else you must know: even though you repent (in sincerity) and God forgives, that does not mean that’s the end of the story. You still have to reap what you sow, so please be mindful of the seeds that you plant. In the end, repentance is about being accountable for your own actions and rebuilding your relationship with God.
With Agape Love,
Willie Mae