Let’s Talk About Repentance
- Isabella Campolattaro
- Oct 1
- 2 min read
Updated: Oct 2
✨Days of Awe 10 of 10 Re/Turn✨
As sunset falls and Yom Kippur rises, Jews enter 25 hours of fasting and prayer—seeking God’s forgiveness, releasing others, and repenting. Tomorrow at nightfall, the “book” is closed and the year sealed.
Repentance was the very first word Jesus preached: “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.” (Matthew 4:17) Repentance remains essential — it restores our relationship with Him and opens access to His cleansing power and grace.
I often use the expression re/turn:
• FRIEND If you’ve never encountered Jesus, repentance is a turn to Him.
• If you already know Him, the Christian life is a path of returning again and again.
What repentance is not:
✦ Hollow “I’m sorry” with no change.
✦ Crocodile tears to dodge consequences.
✦ Endlessly apologizing for everything (trauma can distort sorrow).
✦ Pride that refuses to admit harm.
REPENTANCE
In 12-Step recovery, the very first step is admitting complete defeat. That can feel crushing—but it’s actually the doorway to freedom for all of us! Repentance works the same way: not cleaning ourselves up, but surrendering honestly before God.
True repentance includes:
1. Surrender / Complete Defeat — coming to the end of ourselves and yielding to God.
“If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross, and follow me.” (Matthew 16:24, NLT)
2. Confession — naming sin honestly (James 5:16).
3. Godly sorrow — not shame, but a contrite heart (2 Corinthians 7:10).
4. Willingness to change — words matched by actions (John 14:15).
5. Restitution — repairing what we’ve broken (Luke 19:8–9).
6. Abiding in the Spirit — we don’t white-knuckle holiness; the Spirit enables us (Galatians 5:16).
WHAT GOD SAYS:
✦ “And you will perish, too, unless you repent of your sins and turn to God.” (Luke 13:3, NLT)
✦ “I came to call sinners to repent.” (Luke 5:32, NLT)
✦ “Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.” (Matthew 10:39, ESV)
✦ “Be diligent and turn from your indifference.” (Revelation 3:19, NLT)
✦ “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive.” (1 John 1:9)
✦ “Whoever conceals sin does not prosper, but whoever confesses and renounces finds mercy.” (Proverbs 28:13)
✦ “Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret.” (2 Corinthians 7:10)
PRACTICE:
Ask God to show you if there is anything you need to repent of. Don’t delay. Do it promptly. He wants you to be free.
PRAYER:
Heavenly Father, thank You for loving us so much that You sent Your only Son, that whoever believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life. By Your Spirit, may our lives reflect Your holiness. Keep us quick to repent, quick to forgive, and quick to return to You. Amen. Thank You. I love You.💖
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