I was always against a forced apology. When we were young, my sisters and I said things we didn’t mean. My mother would sit us together and have us conjure up the most sincere apology we could muster. It almost always fell short of one another's expectations. I approached repentance like this for a long time.
Jesus asks for a change of heart, an admission of a need for dependence. There can be a joy in repentance, as we practice worshiping Him through repenting often. I have come to realize that avoiding sincere repentance can lead us to keep God at an arm’s length. Repentance embraces humility. Repentance brings up what we have done wrong, and how we have fallen short. This can sometimes leave us feeling shame and guilt. But God only uses our repentance to give us freedom in the tangled mess of life. Repentance always goes hand-in-hand with His forgiveness.
2 Corinthians 7:10 states, “Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death.”
As we embrace our titles as women worthy of God’s calling, how can we approach our stories with anything but humility?
While asking God to reveal where we are missing His will and His goodness, we will begin to notice habits, tendencies, and inclinations that turn us away from His face. Jesus seeks nearness, full vulnerability, and restoration to the unashamed nakedness we had with Him in the garden. When we repent, we bare our souls to God in full trust.
Ezekiel 18:32 says, “For I have no pleasure in the death of anyone, declares the Lord God; so turn, and live.”
His response is consistently abundant grace. And if the God of the universe treats us with mercy, we have to follow suit. When we repent, we invite the Father to sit with us in our sorrow and allow Him to bear our burdens. Don’t sit in heaviness and strive when there is a place of rest with your name on it.
The Lord delights in our repentance, in the way we acknowledge that we need Him and His grace over everything that could half satisfy us.
Acts 3:19 “Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord.”
The exchange of our sins for God’s refreshment is a love letter that we get to enjoy. It is saying that despite it all, all of our mess and struggles and things we cannot see past, God is madly in love with us. 💖💖💖💖
As I grew in relationship with my mom and in maturity, I realized that of course, my mom was right. That even though at first, my first apologies felt strange and maybe forced, I always felt so much lighter, that the conflict and tension was now out of my hands. As we are learning to walk and eventually stumble, hold onto His hands. This is what Jesus, your friend and your Father, wants to do for you as you repent. To take the heavy weight you’ve been holding, and give you a grace that looks a lot like heaven.
-Isabelle Thomas, Worthy Content Writer
*This is part of our quarterly series: Empowered to Repent. Join our discussion on our social media platforms.
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