In this 40 Days we'v been talking about Reflection, Repentance, Renewal.
It would be awesome if repentance was a one time event in our life and we were done! It's not.
That's because sin is not a one time event in our life (at least not mine!). And as long as we have sin we need repentance. Remember, repentance is a GOOD thing, it's God's mechanism for removing that which comes between us and God.
What sin does:
Right after the Israelites went into the Promised Land they conquered the City of Jericho. Next they went to Ai. But it didn't go so good. Stop now and read Joshua chapter 7 and see what happened with the Israelites and a man named Achan.
Keep going here after reading Joshua 7 . . .
In time, the valley of Achor came to symbolize the worst of punishments. It was a place of death
and desolation. (This is a pic of the Valley of Achor).Today, of course, we do not stone those whose sin or irresponsibility has caused others grief. Still, sin has consequences, and though we may not be physically stoned for our failure, the effects of public condemnation can be just as crushing to the human spirit. The fact is, too many of us have known a personal valley of Achor, where our moral negligence or ill-advised actions caused another's suffering.
Perhaps you committed adultery, and since then, your spouse and children are devastated. It might be that your anxious or careless driving caused an accident, resulting in great suffering or possibly even another person's death. Or maybe your lack of Christian example has caused your children to turn from God. The possible ways of falling are endless, but the result is nearly always the same: it is as though a curse rests on your life.
It is bad enough that your own heart condemns you. There are also those individuals who know your failure, whose chorus of criticisms convince you of your hopeless nature. Public censure, cold looks and judgmental attitudes have the same effect on your soul as Achan's stoning had on his flesh, only what dies in you is hope. Where once you could look with anticipation toward the future, now heartache and regret block your view.
Only virtue, made pure and strong by true repentance, can displace the burden of self-condemnation. Thus, the only correct response to wrong actions and their consequences is the transforming work of the Holy Spirit.
Unfortunately, the enemy has many Christians trapped in unbelief and self-condemnation. They know what they did was wrong and they hate it, but they cannot unburden themselves of the guilt. Remember, Jesus came to proclaim liberty to those who are "prisoners" (see Isa. 61:1).
Is He speaking only of those who are incarcerated in jails? No, His mission is for all of us who are prisoners of our past failures. God wants us to learn from our mistakes, not be held captive to them. Jesus came to deliver and restore those whose dreams lie buried in the valley of Achor.
Are you willing to repent? To confess to God what you have done and truly believe that the status quo is no longer acceptable?
Real repentance is knowing that there is no other way but through Jesus.
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