True Inward Transformation
Have you ever thought about what a proper response to God looks like when you make a mistake?
It was common in ancient times to tear your clothes as a way of repenting and showing sorrow over mistakes you may have made. It was an outward expression of something happening internally.
But what would often happen is people would make a public display of repentance without actually repenting in their heart. So, rather than tearing your clothes, God says He would rather you repent in your heart. Tearing your clothes means nothing if your heart isn’t broken before God. Outward expressions should come from true, internal transformation.
And God says that anyone who comes to Him in genuine repentance will experience His grace and compassion. We do not need to fear God’s wrath since we are His children. He encourages us to repent and return to Him when we mess up.
Scripture says that God is slow to anger and abounding in love. Rather than living in guilt and sorrow, God says He will give grace and love instead. He desires that we experience and live within His love, even when we mess up.
What is your first reaction when you mess up? If you try to hide or ignore your sin, take some time to consider why. God wants you to experience freedom and love. Go to Him with what you’re carrying in your heart, and repent of anything that goes against His ways.
Remember that nothing can remove His love from you. He desires that you live in grace and mercy as a child of God.
“These things I command you, that ye love one another. If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you. If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you. Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his Lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if they have kept my saying, they will keep your's also. But all these things will they do unto you for my name's sake, because they know not him that sent me. If I had not come and spoken unto them, they had not had sin: but now they have no cloke for their sin. He that hateth me hateth my Father also. If I had not done among them the works which none other man did, they had not had sin: but now have they both seen and hated both me and my Father. But this cometh to pass, that the word might be fulfilled that is written in their law, They hated me without a cause. ...