Repentance

I think to repent is very necessary and without it being activated in your live you will be a miserable person.  Repentance is a sign of remorse, or being sorry, for sin that has been committed in a person’s life.  Repentance is not being sorry you got caught in the act but it is being sorry you committed the act in the first place.  

I think most believers have heard about King David and how he committed adultery with Uriah’s wife, Bathsheba.  This was a terrible sin and David knew it was wrong before he committed this act, but committed it anyway.  I wonder how many people have done the same, knowing full well that what they were about to do was sin against God but still went and did it anyway?  This sin was one that David may have thought he could get away with seeing he was the king and could do basically whatever he wanted to.  But sin has a way of finding you out and you never really get away with it.

In King David’s case, Bathsheba conceived a child and David’s sin was exposed but even then instead of repenting he tried to cover it up.  At this point David wasn’t sorry for the sin he had committed; he was just sorry he got caught.  When a person is not sorry for their sin, the next thing is to cover it up somehow and that is what David tried to do.  He must have been so scared of getting caught or so hardened in heart that he even tried to deceive her husband Uriah, when that didn’t work he conceived a plan to have Uriah killed in battle.  Uriah was a good man with a godly character and David had no remorse over his death.

After that was accomplished, David still didn’t repent with godly sorrow.  David had become hard and calloused and he still didn’t repent even after all these horrible sins that he committed.  Allowing sin to fester or remain in your life, without being repented of, will cause you to be separated from the Lord and you will become a tormented, hardhearted person.  The longer you try to hide, or cover up, sin you will become insensitive towards it.  If this is you and you are guilty of hiding sin, repent and confess it before you get so used to it that you start calling it a mistake instead of what it really is, sin.

In 1 John 1:9 it says this, “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

I think it took David about a year before he was truly sorry and repentant for his sins, and all through that period he was miserable.  This is his repentant prayer which he prayed after Nathan the prophet confronted him about his sins, written in Psalm 51:1-19,

“Be gracious to me, O God, according to Your lovingkindness;

According to the greatness of Your compassion blot out my transgressions.

Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity

And cleanse me from my sin.

For I know my transgressions,

And my sin is ever before me.

Against You, You only, I have sinned

And done what is evil in Your sight,

So that You are justified when You speak

And blameless when You judge.

Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity,

And in sin my mother conceived me.

Behold, You desire truth in the innermost being,

And in the hidden part You will make me know wisdom.

Purify me with hyssop, and I shall be clean;

Wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.

Make me to hear joy and gladness,

Let the bones which You have broken rejoice.

Hide Your face from my sins

And blot out all my iniquities.

Create in me a clean heart, O God,

And renew a steadfast spirit within me.

Do not cast me away from Your presence

And do not take Your Holy Spirit from me.

Restore to me the joy of Your salvation

And sustain me with a willing spirit.

Then I will teach transgressors Your ways,

And sinners will be converted to You.

Deliver me from bloodguiltiness, O God, the God of my salvation;

Then my tongue will joyfully sing of Your righteousness.

O Lord, open my lips,

That my mouth may declare Your praise.

For You do not delight in sacrifice, otherwise I would give it;

You are not pleased with burnt offering.

The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit;

A broken and a contrite heart, O God, You will not despise.

By Your favor do good to Zion;

Build the walls of Jerusalem.

Then You will delight in righteous sacrifices,

In burnt offering and whole burnt offering;

Then young bulls will be offered on Your altar.”

I hope this has been a help and encouragement to you as you read it and if you are guilty of un-confessed sin, I hope you will repent and confess your sins and find forgiveness, like King David and many others have.  This is food for thought ~ may God bless you and have a super day!!