I have an issue. My issue is that I don’t like to admit I have issues. Can we ever truly grow without addressing the issues that hold us back? Why would we not fix something that separates us from God, our family, our friends and the full life that God wants for us? We struggle with repentance! It’s not even a word we like using in our daily conversations. Our sin separates us from God. Our sin holds us back from growing more Christ like. Our sin causes damage to our relationships in life. Our sin causes damage to those we love. Our sin causes damage to us. The sooner we can address our sin and grow closer to the image of Christ, the better it is for everyone. Our growth away from our sin most importantly glorifies our God.

Repentance is the first step. It’s a hard one! The first step to change is usually hard. It’s hard for me to say that “right now I’m going to change my eating habits to a healthy lifestyle”. It’s hard to get out of the chair and go to the gym. Repentance is where we decide that we have been wrong, acknowledge that we have been wrong and plead with God to help us change our ways! David does a better job than I could write on what this should look like. Psalms 51 is a beautiful example of a desire to change and pleading for the strength and the help to do it! We can’t do it alone. God wants us to change and is ready for us to ask him to help! Hallelujah, we need Him. If we can remember that, we are already on the right path!!

“Have mercy on me, O God, according to your steadfast love; according to your abundant mercy 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, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight, so that you may be justified in your words and blameless in your judgment. Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me. Behold, you delight in truth in the inward being, and you teach me wisdom in the secret heart. Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. Let me hear joy and gladness; let the bones that 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 right spirit within me. Cast me not away from your presence, and take not your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and uphold me with a willing spirit. Then I will teach transgressors your ways, and sinners will return to you. Deliver me from bloodguiltiness, O God, O God of my salvation, and my tongue will sing aloud of your righteousness. O Lord, open my lips, and my mouth will declare your praise. For you will not delight in sacrifice, or I would give it; you will not be pleased with a burnt offering. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise. Do good to Zion in your good pleasure; build up the walls of Jerusalem; then will you delight in right sacrifices, in burnt offerings and whole burnt offerings; then bulls will be offered on your altar.”

‭‭Psalms‬ ‭51:1-19‬ ‭ESV‬‬