THURSDAY: REPENTANCE

KEY PASSAGE

“Do not conform to the patterns of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is - His good, pleasing and perfect will.” Romans 12:2

DEVOTIONAL

The world defines the word repentance as “a feeling or expression of sincere regret or remorse of one’s wrongdoing.” But the Biblical definition and expectation gives us a different picture for what repentance truly looks like. The Greek word for Repentance is the word metanoeō (pronounced met-an-o-eh-o) which means to change one’s mind for better. In our church meetings we would define the term repent as “to turn away from” or “to walk away from”. 

So we move away from the world’s perspective on repentance as just an emotional decision. At times repentance can start with emotion but the follow-through of repentance truly comes when we stare our sin in the face and say “never again” and walk away. Think of it as someone who, as silly as it may seem, becomes lactose intolerant. They look dairy in the face and say “no more”. Their lifestyle changes. It is the same for us as Christ-followers. The life we lived before Jesus has no place in the life that God has for us. So we must look the ways of old in the face, do a 180 degree spin and walk away. When we turn we must lean on the Holy Spirit like it says in Romans 12:2 “Do not conform to the patterns of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is - His good, pleasing and perfect will.”

CHALLENGE

What are some things you need to “walk away” from today?
Whatever the Holy Spirit is revealing to you, no matter how hard, repent and walk away from it.