Key Scripture: Acts 3:19-20 (NLT)

“Now repent of your sins and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped away. Then times of refreshment will come from the presence of the Lord, and he will again send you Jesus, your appointed Messiah.”

Repentance is not just about feeling regret about something you have done wrong.

Many of us – in fact all of us – have done things wrong in our lives and felt regret about it, I’m sure. We may have even said sorry to God in a heartfelt prayer and meant it. This is good, but it is not repentance.

True repentance is when we recognise the sin we have committed, confess it to the Lord (or to another trusted believer) and commit to turning away from the sin and toward new life in Jesus.

Repentance is turning the other way. Doing a 180-degree pivot in the opposite direction of our sin and committing to never repeating the action again.

This is a sign of true repentance.

This all sounds very heavy, I know, but we serve a holy God. He is so just, righteous and pure that He cannot abide sin.

When we commit a sinful act or bear a sinful attitude, we are invited to repent of it and turn back to God.

There is such freedom in this!

It says in Romans 12 verse 2 this:

‘Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.’

The beauty of repentance is the freedom it buys us to behave in a Godly way. We are no longer harnessed to the behaviours of this world or shackled to the demands of our flesh. We can determine to act differently. To be kingdom people, not blend in with the world.

Remember, Jesus is capable of giving you life and life in all of its fullness. No sin or deviation from His word or His ways is ever going to satisfy you like He can.

Choose to identify sinful habits or behaviours in your life, turn from them in repentance and live free with Jesus.

Prayer:

Father God,

I pray today that you will give me a heart of true repentance. Grant me the strength to turn away from anything that has pulled me away from you and set my feet on the right path once again.

In Jesus’ name,

Amen.