Daily Devotions
What Real Repentance Looks Like
Reading for June 24th: Psalm 58-65
Weekly reading for June 21-27: 2 Corinthians 6-9
For see what earnestness this godly grief has produced in you, but also what eagerness to clear yourselves, what indignation, what fear, what longing, what zeal, what punishment. At every point you have proved yourselves innocent in the matter.
2 Corinthians 7:11
What does true repentance look like?
Repentance is an action of the heart that manifests itself in concrete ways. Paul lists seven ways that repentance can be made visible.
Earnestness. When someone has truly repented there is not a flippant attitude. True repentance takes the sin seriously. It doesn't say, "Well let's just move on."
Eagerness to clear oneself. True repentance wants to regain trust, and the best way to do that is by doing everything possible to demonstrate the fruit of a changed heart.
Indignation. Repentance produces anger, but the anger is pointed in the right direction. The anger is never pointed toward the one who was sinned against (or the one who exposed the sin). The righteous anger of repentance is directed at oneself.
Fear. A penitent individual does not the dread the consequences brought to himself. He dreads the damage done to relationships.
Longing. There is a longing to restore those relationships and make things right.
Zeal. This is zeal for the person who was offended. The penitent man will not be satisfied until the offended party is satisfied with the fruit of his repentance. He does not chafe under the consequences (whether deserved or undeserved). He does not despise the fact that the offended party might have difficulty with forgiveness. His zeal and desire is not for himself but for the one whom he has hurt.
Punishment. No pouting. No feeling like a victim. No sorrow for oneself. True repentance looks inwardly. This inward focus frees the heart from self-pity to deal with the difficult task of restoration of trust and relationships.
Father, give us a heart to see what our sins have done to others. More important than that, help us to see what we have done to you!
