A 6-Point Program for Repentance

R.E.P.E.N.T.

Recognise the lack and need of God’s power.

Earnestly seek God, surrendering up the self-will.

Promise to journey with God, one day at a time.

Engineer and execute a Holy Spirit-informed plan.

Negotiate the moments.

Thank God continually, through grateful utterances of action.

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We all need repentance as the way of improving our spiritual prospects in life. Such a thing was designed by God to reconnect us with the transforming power for life through his Spirit. Without this power, and we all know this weakness, we have no hope of spiritual contentment.

The above six-point plan is an acrostic that can help us remember the steps we might take in tackling our sin through the divine power of the Holy Spirit.

1. Recognise the Lack and Need of God’s Power

Whenever we run our own show, we have left the real power for living far behind. We thought, again, we could do this on our own. And it seemed to work for a time. Then we found we were mistaken.

But the repentance sequence is initiated when we have the volition to recognise our lack and need of God’s power. This power is given to us upon our surrender.

2. Earnestly Seek God, Surrendering Up Our Self-Will

Having recognised we cannot achieve this transformation on our own, we come to a critical step. We cannot go any further with God unless we surrender up our self-will. This is non-negotiable. We can’t have it both ways. As soon as we have earnestly sought God by surrendering up our self-will we are brought to the point of promising that we will faithfully journey with God as best as truly we can.

3. Promise to Journey with God, One Day at a Time

The majestic thing about ‘one day at a time’ is it works.

It has worked for millions upon millions, and continues to work today. Breaking our lives down into manageable one-day or part-day compartments we focus our spiritual energy on obeying God in the problem area. Praying to God, one day at a time, means that we are thankful at the end of each day for the faithfulness of God to give us the power to truly repent. One day is not too long to obey for.

4. Engineer and Execute a Holy Spirit-Informed Plan

Having made our humble recognition and having earnestly sought God and committed ourselves to a promise before God, the Holy Spirit will now give us, upon holy revelation, a plan for this process of repentance. In truth, the plan is a metamorphosis; it continues to change in accordance with our growth and changing needs over the months and years.

It is for us to listen to the Holy Spirit, take down the plan diligently, and then execute it as required.

5. Negotiate the Moments

This may be the hardest of all steps. This is when our resolve is tested, and our patience, and indeed our memory for the problems of old. We must pray to God for the strength and wisdom to get through each of our troubling moments.

Again, we can get through anything one moment at a time.

6. Thank God Continually, Through Grateful Utterances of Action

The biggest and best protection we have to firmly establish this plan of repentance is through thankfulness and gratitude, and these are augmented never better than by action.

We must ensure that our thankfulness and gratitude reaches the halcyon heights of love through action.

© 2012 S. J. Wickham.