Repentance is one of those words that we tend to stumble over (imagine scrambling and stumbling over rocks on a bushwalk or mountainous hike) because our hearts find it challenging to understand and to do.  

WHAT IS REPENTANCE?

Repentance is acknowledging our sin and turning from it.  That is, it is to realise we’re sinful, say sorry to God and to then choose to walk a different way: His way.  The Gospel Coalition describes it this way:

“True Christian repentance involves a heartfelt conviction of sin, a contrition over the offense to God, a turning away from the sinful way of life, and a turning towards a God-honoring way of life.”  

A COMMON MISUNDERSTANDING

If you were to ask any Christian what they most love about their faith and their journey with Jesus, ‘repentance’ might not be the first word you’d hear them utter.  As humans born with a fallen/sinful nature, we don’t particularly like to consider our sinfulness. 

We’re not naturally inclined to want to acknowledge our shortcomings, preferring to avoid that uncomfortable feeling of knowing we’re in the wrong.  Herein lies a common misunderstanding of repentance. 

For repentance is not meant to be difficult or condemning, heaping shame upon us and making us feel bad.  Rather, repentance is a beautiful act centred on restoring and strengthening the greatest relationship we will ever experience.  It brings us to the foot of the cross and into the loving embrace of our heavenly Father.  

Tied closely to this is the definition of sin itself, which is “transgression of the law of God (1 John 3:4) and rebellion against God (Deuteronomy 9:7; Joshua 1:18)” - essentially anything which separates us from Him.  Sin might be an action against another, such as if we were to physically hurt or slander someone. 

It may be an inward matter of our heart, such as lust or holding animosity towards another.  Additionally, it might be doing (or not doing) something which causes there to be distance between us and the Lord, where there should be intimacy and closeness.  We can often identify this in how we spend our time. 

Do we give more of our attention to our screens than our Creator?  Do we create excuses about being too busy to spend time in the Word or in prayer and worship, when in fact we’re actually just prioritising a different activity?  

If the idea of repentance brings negative thoughts to your mind, I encourage you to read on to discover that it is in fact a vessel of hope and joy for your life (See Psalm 25:3, John 3:17 and 8:11, Romans 8:1, 1 John 3:20 and Jude 1:24).  Repentance will bring you freedom and peace like you’ve never experienced before!

REPENTANCE IN THE WORD OF GOD

Scripture contains a myriad of stories of the personal experiences of people who’ve walked through repentance (and sadly some stories of those who’ve refused to repent and have thus remained afar from Christ and His redemptive love). 

Jesus declared in Mark 1:15: “The time has come,” he said. “The kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe the good news!”

Here are some verses you might like to study to learn more about repentance:

• A call to repentance: Ezekiel 18:21-23, 2 Chronicles 7:14, Matthew 1:15, 3:2 & 4:17, Mark 1:4, 6:12, Luke 3:3, 5:32, Acts 2:38, 3:19, 8:22, 13:3 & 5, 24,  17:30, 19:4 & 26:20, 2 Peter 3:9 and Revelations 2:5, 16 and 3:3, 19.

• Signs of a repentant heart: Genesis 33:3, 1 Chron 21:22-26, Ezra 9:3 & 10:1 and Joel 1:13. 

• Fruit of repentance: Matthew 3:8, Luke 3:8 and 15:7 & 10, Acts 11:18, 2 Corinthians 7:9-10 and 2 Timothy 2:25. 

• The unrepentant: Matthew 11:20-21 & 12:33-35, Luke 10:13, 2 Corinthians 12:21 and Revelations 2:21-22, 9:20-21 & 16:9, 11.

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One of the most spectacularly beautiful verses in the Bible, and one of my personal favourites, is this:

Don’t you realise how patient He (God) is being with you? Or don’t you care? 

Can’t you see that He has been waiting all this time without punishing you, 

to give you time to turn from your sin? 

HIS KINDNESS IS MEANT TO LEAD YOU TO REPENTANCE. 

(Romans 2:4, The Living Bible translation, emphasis mine) 

A PERSONAL STORY OF REPENTANCE 

Over the years, as I’ve grown in my love for Jesus and understanding of his grace, the Holy Spirit has gradually deepened my understanding that it truly is His kindness that leads us to repentance!  Recently He brought me to my knees, to repent of a sin from a long-time past.  

Over a decade ago I was hurt by some people. You see, for many years I knew that I’d held onto that hurt in some form or another.  Although I’d prayed numerous times around the whole situation, and in my own strength attempted to ‘let it go’ and release the unforgiveness, still that hurt continued to hold a place in my heart. 

Most of the time this lack of true repentance would be hidden away and go unnoticed, yet if I happened to bump into one of the perpetrators, bitterness, anger, disappointment and resentment would stir in my heart again, reminding me that it remained unresolved. 

On the surface, you’d think I had forgiven these people - I’d smile and speak positively to them when I occasionally bumped into them, but deep in my heart the trouble still brewed.  

Being really open and honest with you, I felt justified in my heart’s response: what they had done was indeed wrong and so it seemed that, in a way, it was okay for me to have ill-feelings towards them.   I hadn’t really forgiven them. 

I wanted to, but I just hadn’t.  Unforgiveness still held me in its claws.  At the crux of it all, my self-justification demonstrated my lack of repentance - I defended my own bad behaviour (those sinful thoughts) rather than allowing God to do a work in my heart which would release these people from their wrongdoing. 

I wanted to be the judge in the situation.  I desired to call them to account - to make them accountable for their actions.  The thing is, that was never my job - God is the One true judge and vindicator (Deuteronomy 32:36, Psalm 9:8 & 75:7, Isaiah 3:13 and James 4:12). 

And you know the silliest thing… these people probably didn’t even know I was holding on to my offence.  The one who was really being punished was me!  I’d trapped myself in the jail of those crazy hurt feelings, so that the deep-seated wound still caused me pain.  I’d robbed myself of freedom.  A lack of repentance does that.

GOD’S KINDNESS IN ACTION

Thankfully, “the kindness of God leads us to repentance”, and so this week, I stepped out of that self imposed prison as I experienced deliverance from what had become a stronghold in my life. A few months ago, our loving Father led me to have regular contact with one of the people who’d hurt me… Da Da Dah! Was He up to something?  Did He have a plan to lead me to repentance? I think so!

Every week or two, I’d see this woman and little by little I started to see her as Christ does - as the beautiful person God has created her to be (It’s worth noting here - her hurtful action doesn’t define who she is, just as our own mistakes don’t label us). 

Gradually, like an ice-cube in the sun, my hardened heart began to melt and soften.  We began to develop a friendship and the Lord highlighted some similarities in the current season of life we’re each walking through - commonalities that we were relying upon Him for strength, provision and grace in.

My kindhearted Father led me to a prayerful place where I surrendered my sin.  With gentleness He helped me to love the people from this situation, whilst hating the sin (and as He did, that wound stung less too).  I was now able to extend grace, forgive and let them go (something I’d failed to do on my own and had desperately needed God’s help with!). 

I was also no longer held captive.  Forgiveness is a gift we give to others… but also to ourselves.  Repentance (which often includes forgiveness) removes the barriers between us and Christ.  It creates a renewed closeness.  Repentance builds a bridge of restoration. 

It brings about a deeper understanding of both the Father’s love for us and the love we can in turn have for others (which is what we are called to do in Matthew 22:39!).

A CALL TO REPENTANCE 

Dear ones… gorgeous friends… if what you’ve read today has stirred something within you, if you still feel the same anguish after you think you’ve forgiven someone, it’s likely that you haven’t and that it has become a stronghold in your life. 

Seek God for help to do what you can only do through His strength and enabling. Remember, the details of the story don’t matter … the goodness of God does. 

If this is you, may I encourage you to consider doing the following:

• Be prayerful.  

Ask the Holy Spirit to show you any areas in your life in which you need to repent.  Pray for revelation beyond human understanding of the Father’s kind heart towards you.  Seek His help to be led into repentance.  Ask Him to place you in situations where you’ll be prompted to acknowledge your sinfulness and to love those who’ve hurt you.

• Follow His leading.

Let His kindness and graciousness minister to your heart.  Allow the Lord to mould and shape your life.  Be transformed into the likeness of Christ - the One whose image we bear (Genesis 1:27, 2 Corinthians 3:18 and Ephesians 4:24).

• Live a lifestyle of repentance.

Repentance is not a once off act, but a lifestyle.  It is a process of refinement.  Repent!  Turn from sin. Live changed! Renewed!  More Christ-like than you’d previously been… and do it again and again and again.  Just like David, we need to continually ask God to search our hearts and reveal to us any anxious thoughts and offensive ways within us, leading us in the way everlasting (Psalm 139:22-23). 

• Bless others.

Joyfully share your testimonies of repentance and the good fruit it has produced in your life.  Fulfil your godly responsibility of bringing gentle and loving guidance in your home, workplace and ministry (James 5:19-20).  Help set someone free from shame, guilt and condemnation!  Encourage them to partake of this beautiful gift that repentance is!  And always remember… it is the KINDNESS OF THE LORD WHICH LEADS US THERE!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Alison loves Jesus and is passionate about her relationship with Him. She desires to encourage singles to live purposefully and to find their hope in Christ. Alison resides in sunny Queensland, Australia, and enjoys travel, going on adventures, spending time with family and friends, taking in the beauty of the world and reading good books. For more of her writing go to www.girlgrowing.com where she writes about her journey as a girl growing in faith, love, hope and grace.