Time for a new start
Is your thought life the same as the “good Christian” everyone sees on the outside?
It isn’t very difficult to make other people believe that you live a good Christian life. On the outside it is quite easy to be kind and generous and humble. But how is it in your thought life? Are you really so kind and humble there? Would you be ashamed if people could see what you are thinking?
I’m sure you could give many excuses for why you’ve been sinning where nobody sees. But you must start to be really honest with yourself. It is painful to admit the truth, but the truth has a very great power to free you from the forces of impurity, anger and all other sins that can bind you for your whole life. It’s time to repent. But how do I do that?
Admit that you need help
If you want to repent, you have to humble yourself. Become so small in your own eyes that you see yourself as the person you really are: wretched and poor, someone who needs help.
“Yet even now, says the LORD, return to me with all your hearts, with fasting, with weeping, and with sorrow; tear your hearts and not your clothing. Return to the LORD your God.” Joel 2:12-13 (CEB).
Most people do not live a good Christian life in their thoughts. But you don’t have to stay this way. “Tear your hearts and not your clothing!” Cry out to God from the depths of your heart! This is the first step of repentance, that you admit before God exactly the way things are with you. Maybe you have to admit that you aren’t as pure and holy as your friends think you are.
Confess your sin to God
“Listen! The Lord’s arm is not too weak to save you, nor is his ear too deaf to hear you call. It’s your sins that have cut you off from God. Because of your sins, he has turned away and will not listen anymore.” Isaiah 59:1-2 (NLT).
Your sins have separated you from God! To put your life in order, you need to tell God everything—and keep nothing back. If there is a sin you want to hide, you will never become completely free from your past sins. This is very important!
But if you open up your heart to God and confess every sin that is troubling your conscience, then He will forgive them, just as we read in Psalm 32:5 (CEV): “So I confessed my sins and told them all to you. I said, ‘I’ll tell the LORD each one of my sins.’ Then you forgave me and took away my guilt.”
He forgives you! Then you experience the great relief from that feeling of guilt that was always with you. You experience the joy that God doesn’t think about them anymore. Then you are sure that you have been brought from darkness to light, from the power of Satan back to God! The only thing that can stop you from receiving this glorious gift is if you do not forgive others. But when you’ve seen God’s mercy towards you, after finally seeing yourself as the wretch you are, how could you not forgive others?
After forgiveness …
But what next? Your sins have been forgiven but deep down you are very scared that you may fall back into a life of “sinning and getting forgiveness” over and over again. That’s not freedom; then you are still a slave of sin! But what does God ask from you next? If you become quiet before God, He will tell you exactly what it is that He wants you to do.
God has forgiven you; in return He is asking for you to turn your life around. He will show you things that you need to put right with other people, habits you need to give up, certain people you need to stop spending time with and websites, books or other things to avoid.
“Give up your evil ways and your evil thoughts. Return to the LORD our God. He will be merciful and forgive your sins.” Isaiah 55:7 (CEV).
Start praying. Tell Jesus all about your longing to become truly free from the sins that have bound you for so long. Pray for strength to keep your heart as a temple for God by saying “no” in temptation! Fill your heart and mind with things that help you in your fight for purity. Don’t let anyone rob you of your new-found hunger and thirst which can’t be satisfied by this world’s entertainment.
When you keep yourself close to Jesus in prayer, He will give you power so that you will be able to live the rest of your time on earth in freedom from sin. This is what repentance means. This is what it means to become a disciple of Jesus—the greatest calling anyone could wish for and a decision you will never regret.