Before any of us is able to become a Spirit filled child of God, there are a few things we must do. We must believe that God exists, and we must also have faith because without it, we cannot please Him. Those are two things that are foundational to ever experiencing a spiritual walk with God. Additionally, God opens the opportunity to become His child with a gift that is available to everyone: the gift of repentance.
When our Savior made a way for human beings to experience salvation, He was offering, and is still offering today, to save us from the things that keep us separated from Him, and the things that want to destroy us. His offer is one of cleansing, healing, and allowing us to be a part of His kingdom. Jesus has offered us a beautiful life through Him, one that offers peace and joy, and the freedom to no longer be bound by sin.
While His gift is free of financial cost, it takes action on our part. Only the true and sincere repentance from a remorseful heart is able to bring results. When our desire is to be delivered from the ways of this world, and we fall in love with the One who can deliver us, it is then that repentance is a gift to us from God. 2 Peter 3:9 says, “The Lord is…patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.” Additionally, in Romans 2:4, it says, “…God's kindness is meant to lead you to repentance…” He wants us to be saved! He has made a way!
When we repent, we feel remorse for the things we’ve done to hurt God, and we turn away from those things. It is clear that godly repentance leads to salvation, but only feeling regret because we got hurt from our actions is a worldly and selfish grief. Proverbs 28:13 tells us that, “Whoever conceals his transgressions will not prosper, but he who confesses and forsakes them will obtain mercy.”
Mark 1:15 says, “…The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.” The kingdom of God is here! It’s available! He wants us to have it!
So, how is repentance a gift? It is the Almighty God offering us a chance to be right with Him! When we have been in our most shameful places, and cringe at the knowledge of the things we’ve done that have been so humiliating, there is God, with an invitation to repent.
Not only does our great Creator draw us to talk to Him about our failures and faults, He doesn’t hold it and continually remind us of what we’ve done so that our mistakes must follow us until the grave. In fact, He loves us, and even the angels rejoice when we repent! It is a time that old ways are laid down, and the beautiful ways of God are beginning!
And that, my friends, is an amazing gift to us all!
