Acts 2:37-38 (NLT)
Peter’s words pierced their hearts, and they said to him and to the other apostles, “Brothers, what should we do?”
Peter replied, “Each of you must repent of your sins and turn to God, and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. Then you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
From one famous Scripture to another.
Growing always involves pain. As children, our bodies hurt (especially my shins) as they grew and adjusted. Like those physical growing pains, anguish arises as we spiritually mature, as we wrestle with truth and thoughts and ideas and feelings. Seeing things in a new way is challenging because we must be rooted in Biblical truth and be open enough to GOD that he reveals new things within it.
Such was my dilemma upon reading the following: Repentance is a gift from GOD and God’s work as well.
I had always thought that repentance was the one thing I controlled in the whole “new creation” process. But if repentance means pulling a one-eighty and turning completely away from the old way of life, then GOD must be the producer of repentance as well. Looking back, I tried (and failed miserably) more times than I care to admit to repent, to be done with my life of sin and walk in a new direction. By outward appearances, it may even seem to be possible. Repentance, however, is a heart issue first, then flows outward. And you can’t fake that very long.
Much about GOD is still a vast mystery to me. I feel like I’m just scratching the surface (and I'm probably not even that far along.) I’m beginning to see that this whole relationship with Jesus is more one-sided than I ever thought. Recognizing my need for GOD, believing in him, salvation, confession, the Holy Spirit, and now repentance has everything to do with GOD and less and less (if anything) to do with me.
Thank you for repentance LORD!
