OWN IT!

You don't own it until you experience it!

Owning Repentance

Repentance is another way of saying “change.” When it comes to habits change is difficult. When it comes to lack of spiritual habits, change is difficult. Previously I confessed I have had struggles with my prayer life. I have repented dozens of times, just like the smoker who can quit anytime. There were long streaks of time when I was deeply in prayer. I owned it, only to relinquish it. My repentance didn’t last. Repentance had an expiration date. Conviction expired. Godly sorrow turned to worldly sorrow and regret reemerged. Ask any AA member about owning sobriety. They will tell you it can be a slippery bugger to hold on to.  One must refix his grip daily, even hourly, to keep it. Owning repentance may be the hardest thing you will ever do in your spiritual life.

Part of the problem is how we view repentance. It is not a one-time action. It is a lifestyle. It is like owning health. We talk about living a healthy lifestyle. When we commit to that kind of living, it comes with certain habits and practices that make it real. Workouts, walking, running, diet, and avoidances. There is constant NO and YES to such a commitment., This is repentance. The conscience is trained to be our trainer, our spiritual coach. It pushes us past the point of wanting to skip the two mile walk today to getting ‘er done. It slaps our hand when we reach for the candy bar instead of the bottle of water. Discipline is the ever-present companion to repentance.

Yet owning repentance is not a “pull yourself up by your own bootstraps” kind of exercise. Without the convicting work of the Spirit along with the empowering work of the Spirit, repentance would be nothing other than will power. For the range of areas of life where we need daily repentance, we will need more than will power to own repentance. Daily awareness of the reality of my thoughts and actions; daily awareness of the good, pleasing and perfect will of God; daily transformation to become more like Jesus requires supernatural power. Without this power I will never own repentance. YOU DON’T OWN IT UNTIL YOU EXPERIENCE IT.