Repentance: A Forgotten but Essential Practice
At the end of last year, I found myself in a difficult place. Life wasn’t unfolding the way I had hoped, and I knew something had to change. I asked myself hard questions: Why was I still clinging to habits that didn’t serve me? Why was I content with the bare minimum instead of pushing myself toward more?
It felt like I was stuck in the same cycle—like the Israelites wandering in the wilderness with no end in sight. That realization pushed me to act.
I began fasting—poorly, if I’m honest—but it led me to deliverance prayers I stumbled across on YouTube. I prayed them all, even the ones I thought didn’t apply to me: prayers against witchcraft, prayers for freedom from spirit spouses, and more. And in the middle of all that, one word struck me in a way it never had before in my twenty years as a Christian: repentance.
The people leading those prayers always began by saying we needed to repent—confess our sins, ask forgiveness—and then pray for deliverance. I had no problem doing that, but it made me realize something sobering: I had barely repented in my entire Christian life. In fact, I don’t think I ever truly had.
Repentance wasn’t a topic I heard much about in the churches I grew up in. To be clear, I’m not criticizing those churches, but repentance simply wasn’t emphasized in the circles I knew.
What Is Repentance?
For those new to the faith, repentance might sound unfamiliar. The Oxford Dictionary defines it as “the fact of showing that you are sorry for something wrong that you have done.” In Scripture, repentance is more than sorrow—it’s turning away from sin and idols, acknowledging disobedience, and asking God for forgiveness.
As 2 Chronicles 7:14 (ESV) says:
“If my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land.”
I realized I had never repented for the hurt I caused family and friends, or for chasing after the cares of the world instead of obeying God. But the Gospels are full of calls to repentance.
John the Baptist’s entire mission was to prepare people by urging them to repent:
“Repent of your sins and turn to God, for the Kingdom of Heaven is near.” (Matthew 3:2)
Mark 1:4 tells us:
“John appeared, baptizing in the wilderness and proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.”
Jesus Himself said:
“I have come to call not those who think they are righteous, but those who know they are sinners and need to repent.” (Luke 5:32)
And in the parable of the lost sheep, He reminded us:
“There will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance.” (Luke 15:7)
Repentance in the Old Testament
The theme of repentance runs throughout the Old Testament. Whenever God’s people faced calamity or oppression, they had to repent and turn back to Him.
Isaiah 55:6–7 urges:
“Seek the Lord while he may be found; call upon him while he is near; let the wicked forsake his way… let him return to the Lord, that he may have compassion on him, and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.”
Even the city of Nineveh, known for its wickedness, repented when Jonah preached to them. Scripture says:
“When God saw what they did, how they turned from their evil way, God relented of the disaster that he had said he would do to them, and he did not do it.” (Jonah 3:10)
King David, called a man after God’s own heart, also had to repent deeply:
“For day and night your hand was heavy upon me; my strength was dried up as by the heat of summer. I acknowledged my sin to you… I said, ‘I will confess my transgressions to the Lord,’ and you forgave the iniquity of my sin.” (Psalm 32:4–5)
Why Repentance Still Matters
Some Christians believe that once we accept Jesus, we never need to ask forgiveness again because His blood has already washed away our sins. And yes, we are set free through Christ. But I ask: why wouldn’t we still want to repent?
Repentance isn’t about securing salvation—it’s about relationship. When you disobey your Father in Heaven, why wouldn’t you want to apologize to Him?
Repentance is not a ritual; it’s a heart issue. It’s humbling yourself before God, acknowledging your sin, and declaring that you are turning away from it.
A Call to Action
Brothers and sisters, I urge you: make repentance a habit. Not out of fear, but out of love. Repentance keeps our hearts tender before God. It reminds us that we are dependent on His mercy, and it restores intimacy with Him.
If the people in Scripture couldn’t move forward without repentance, neither can we. It is non-negotiable.
Downloadable Resources for Your Journey of Repentance & Renewal
To support your walk with God, we’ve created two free PDF resources you can download and use anytime:
• Prayer of Repentance Card – A heartfelt prayer to guide you in confession, surrender, and renewal.
• Reflection Journal Questions Card – Thoughtful prompts to help you examine your heart, break unhealthy patterns, and grow closer to God.
Feel free to download either or both. Whether you’re starting fresh or deepening your spiritual rhythms, these tools are here to help you pause, reflect, and realign with His mercy and truth
Click on the picture to access PDF file.
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