How to Build a Practice of Repentance
Hello Bride of Christ,
What response do we give when confronted? Do we respond or rather do we react? Are words of defense and justification found on the tips of our tongues? Or do words of excuse escape our mouths and roll off our lips like water rushing from a bubbling brook? Do we believe we are fallible and in need of a Savior? If so, why then are we surprised by our sin? If we believe we need a Savior, why then the practice of repentance remains a rare occurrence?
The myth of perfection found in man keeps us. The myth of hiding our sins from an omniscient God deceives us. Secrets. For God sees what man cannot. At times it takes a friend to help us step out of deception and see ourselves in truth.
A year after committing adultery and murder, the Lord prompted the prophet Nathan to visit David (2 Samuel 12:1). Nathan approached David, King of Israel, to ask for advice on a situation. Nathan tells David about a rich man taking advantage of a poor man and his sheep. David perceives injustice and responds in anger, “As the Lord lives, this man who has done this shall surely die.” (2 Samuel 12:2-5)
David acknowledges the injustice and sin committed by the rich man because he was not personally invested. Finding errors in others is quit simple.
David walked right into Nathan’s lesson.
Nathan’s scenario was a hypothetical one. The Lord used Nathan to open David’s eyes to the fact he was the rich man taking advantage of Uriah, who he killed (2 Samuel 12:7-10).
“You are the man!”
Using my imaginative imagination I suppose those words echoed in David’s heart and numbed his anger. Like cold water splashing on the face of a tired man, startling him, Nathan’s words washed over David.
David believed he was free from anyone knowing about this “hidden” sin. But God.
David could not hide from God.
David’s response when found out?
“I have sinned against the Lord.” (2 Samuel 12:13)
He understood his audience of One.
God.
Bride of Christ, out of this confrontation David learned the act of repentance. His repentance gave way to inspiration. He wrote Psalm 51, which aids us now today on how to build a practice of repentance within our lives.
Have mercy upon me, O God, According to Your lovingkindness; According to the multitude of Your tender mercies, Blot out my transgressions. Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, And cleanse me from my sin. (Psalm 51:1-2)
Tip 1: Recognize your audience of one, and His character.
Only God can provide us abundant mercy, we do not merit. Only God’s lovingkindness wipes away the penalty of our mistakes.
For I acknowledge my transgressions, And my sin is always before me. Against You, You only, have I sinned, And done this evil in Your sight—That You may be found just when You speak, And blameless when You judge. (Psalm 51: 3-4)
Tip 2: Acknowledge your sin cannot be hidden from the One Judge it offends.
The root of sin is a heart opposed to God’s ways. Since He is the righteous omniscient Judge, only He can speak to the severity of our offense.
Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, And in sin my mother conceived me. Behold, You desire truth in the inward parts, And in the hidden part You will make me to know wisdom. Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; Wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. (Psalm 51: 5-7)
Tip 3: Acknowledge your human nature is fallible and in need of a Savior.
From day one we are fallen, born in sin. However, God desires to hide his truth inside of us and willingly cleanses us.
Make me hear joy and gladness, That the bones You have broken may 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 uphold me by Your generous Spirit. (Psalm 51: 8-12)
Tip 4: Seek to radically change your mind to align with God’s thoughts. Confess and Repent.
A fruit of a relationship with the Holy Spirit is joy. Unconfessed sin separates us from God for He cannot abide with sin. Separation from God equals a lack of His presence in our lives. Let His ways save you and restore you. Change your mind to align with His counsel.
Then I will teach transgressors Your ways, And sinners shall be converted to You. Deliver me from the guilt of bloodshed, O God, The God of my salvation, And my tongue shall sing aloud of Your righteousness. O Lord, open my lips, And my mouth shall show forth Your praise. For You do not desire sacrifice, or else I would give it; You do not delight in burnt offering. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit, A broken and a contrite heart—These, O God, You will not despise. (Psalm 51: 13 -17)
Tip 5: Be an example for others.
Our greatest witness to others is our habitual practices. Let us repent often, so many will come to see the redeeming work of our sovereign God.
Do good in Your good pleasure to Zion; Build the walls of Jerusalem. Then You shall be pleased with the sacrifices of righteousness, With burnt offering and whole burnt offering; Then they shall offer bulls on Your altar. (Psalm 51:18-19)
Tip 6: Allow God to work in your life.
God desires good for us. He desires to build us up. For He created us for a good work. Through implementing these tips into our lives might the altars of our lives be living sacrifices, holy, well pleasing to God, which is our reasonable service.
