A son in a large family resented his
youngest brother. Whenever he thought the "baby" of the family was receiving
special treatment, he would whack him on the head. Then, as soon as his younger
brother started crying, he'd say, "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to hurt you.
Please don't tell Mom and Dad." This scenario of hitting him and then
saying he was sorry went on for several weeks.
One day the older brother walloped him
and followed up with his usual insincere apology. "This time I really mean
it. Please don't tell Mom and Dad. I'm really, really sorry." The younger
brother said, "I just want to know when you're going to be sorry enough to
quit!"
Repentance
means to have a change of heart, which changes the way you behave. It doesn’t
mean to be sorry, but being sorry enough to quit what you’re doing. Second Corinthians
7:10 says, "For the sorrow that is according to the will of God produces a
repentance without regret, leading to salvation, but the sorrow of the world produces
death." Regret wishes it could change
the consequences of past failures. Repentance
wants to change future behavior so that past sins won’t be repeated.
Repentance is making a decision in your heart
that you want to please God more than
yourself, which changes the way you think, speak, and act. Trying to
change your behavior without first changing your heart is getting the cart
before the horse. You have the order backward. If you try to change your
actions without first having a change of heart, it won’t be long before you
return to your old ways.
If you have tried to change but are
unable to do it, you must surrender to your Higher Power—the God who has more
power than you. Only the Holy Spirit can give you the power to live like Him.
When you make that decision in your heart to surrender all to Him, you’ve just
repented.
Prayer of Repentance: “Lord, I realize
that I’m not living in a way that pleases you. I want my life to change but I
don’t have the power within myself to do that. Jesus, I surrender my life to
you and I ask you to give me the power to change. Fill me with the power of the
Holy Spirit. Thank you for hearing my prayer.”
For a deeper study on repentance,
click on this link: What Does It Mean to Repent?
********************************************
Making
Life Count Ministries
P.O.
Box 680174
Prattville,
Alabama 36068
