REPENTANCE
I’ve heard it taught that the word “repentance” means “to turn around and go the other way.” So, if we’re living our life running away from God and He asks us to “repent” then He’s asking us to turn back to Him. One day we’re living our life in complete disobedience to Him, and then we answer His call… and turn back to Him. While I could not find any “definition” like this in the dictionary, I really, REALLY like the image. Like a baby bird snuggled safely under a protecting parental wing. Awesome.
I think there’s the “main” repentance - when we realize and ADMIT that we have been living our lives in disobedience to God’s Word and we humbly turn back to Him, accept Him as Lord of our life, and surrender to His will. We typically call this our “conversion” - when we believe that Jesus is the Son of God, died on a cross for our sins, and was raised from the dead 3 days later. We go from “unbelievers” to “believers”.
But even as “believers” we still need repentance. Probably every day.
These daily repentances are where we haven’t *completely* plugged our ears, turned off our hearts and chosen to go back to our old way of life - without Him … but, we’re definitely not listening to Him in the moment. We’ve left the safety of His wing. We’ve lost our peace.
Isaiah 26:3 says, “You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you.” So, over the years, I’ve learned to “repent” and come back to Him whenever I don’t have “perfect peace” about something.
For me there have been bigger things - like getting into relationships I KNEW I shouldn’t have gotten into, (because they were NOT God’s will!) only to have them end horribly with everyone involved being deeply wounded…… or saying something I KNEW I shouldn’t have said that truly hurt someone…… or doing something I KNEW was wrong and then getting caught and destroying a friendship. These big things are really, REALLY hard lessons. It starts out with me just charging ahead, thinking, “It’ll be okay!” even though I KNOW it’s wrong. How do I know? Because I don’t have 100% peace about it.
Then, after everything has blown up and I’m weeping uncontrollably on my bed, the Lord comes to me and asks, “Are you okay?” “NO!!!” I sob. “Exactly,” He says, gently. “You *think* you’ll be okay… but you will never be okay when you walk away from Me.”
Then there’s the smaller things, like walking past a piece of trash I KNOW I should pick up, or walking past someone struggling with groceries, or driving past someone I know who needs a ride but I don’t want to be bothered at the moment.
(Do not hear me to say that EVERY need that is before us is OUR responsibility to fill! More on that later.)
I’m talking about when I *know* I should do something and don’t. Then, I don’t have peace until I finally say, “FINE!!!” and obey. Obeying immediately would be preferable, but sadly, I rarely obey immediately. It’s generally AFTER I’ve walked past and feel my peace start to leave me… getting further and further away with each step until I can’t stand it anymore and say, “FINE!” and turn around. *deep sigh*
Maybe you’re like me?
While I think it’s important we continue to work towards obeying immediately, I think the really important thing is that we are willing to turn around.
To repent.
To turn back to God’s will and pick up the piece of trash, or help with the groceries, or the friend who needs a ride… or leave the abusive relationship (we were never supposed to get into,) before more damage is done, or ask for forgiveness before the friendship is destroyed.
Turning back is hard. Sometimes really, REALLY hard. But there’s perfect peace in His will for us. Even when it’s hard, His peace will carry you.
Always.
SCRIPTURES
Isaiah 26:3 ~ “You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you.” (ESV)
Psalm 91:1-4 ~ Those who live in the shelter of the Most High will find rest in the shadow of the Almighty. This I declare about the Lord: He alone is my refuge, my place of safety; he is my God, and I trust him. For he will rescue you from every trap and protect you from deadly disease. He will cover you with his feathers. He will shelter you with his wings. His faithful promises are your armor and protection. (NLT)
Isaiah 40:31 ~ but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint. (NIV)
John 14:15-17 ~ “If you love me, you will obey my commandments. Then I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate to be with you forever - the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot accept, because it does not see him or know him. But you know him, because he resides with you and will be in you. (NET)