Is your sin causing you to live with a burden of guilt? Repentance and turning to God is the answer to our sorrows. By getting right with God your life will be more peaceful. 1 John 1:9-10 says, “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar and His word is not in us.”

Repentance is when your mind is changed about sin, yourself, and how you view God. Repentance is a command of God. He commands all men everywhere to repent (Acts 11:30). Repentance is also a gift from God. The Lord grants repentance to sinners (2 Timothy 2:25).

Humble yourself

You cannot lie to God because He knows all things. Every word, thought, and deed God knows about already. So do not start making excuses for your sin and try to justify your wrongs before God. That is not humility. God is against the proud in heart, but He gives grace to the humble. James 4:10 reminds us, “Humble yourselves in the presence of the Lord, and He will exalt you.” 1 Peter 5:6-7 continues, “Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you at the proper time, casting all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you.” We are to put things right if a wrong has been committed. If something has been stolen, give it back. If you have lied about something, tell the truth.

Trust God

You must believe that God can and will forgive you of your sin. If you distrust God’s mercy and grace, you will soon lose faith in God’s attributes and His power over sin. Romans 6:14 says, “For sin shall not be master over you, for you are not under law but under grace.” 1 Peter 2:24 reminds us of Jesus’s finished work on the cross, “and He Himself bore our sins in His body on the cross, so that we might die to sin and live to righteousness; for by His wounds you were healed.”

Evaluate your sin

Examine your heart. Who was hurt and who did you sin against? How has your sin impacted your Christian walk and other people?

Ultimately all sins are against God as you are accountable to Him. The Psalmist David said, “Against You, You only, I have sinned And done what is evil in Your sight, So that You are justified when You speak And blameless when You judge” (Psalm 51:4). David expressed true repentance in Psalm 51. The lesson in Psalm 51 is sin has an effect. Sin is damaging to your heart, mind, soul, friends, family, church, and society. Romans 12:3 says, “For through the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think more highly of himself than he ought to think; but to think so as to have sound judgment, as God has allotted to each a measure of faith.” Pride is a root of sinfulness. Proudness of heart is the opposite of humbleness. Do not repent in a hypocritical manner. For example, some might try to repent to get something in return. In fact, this belief is not repentance at all. We repent not for ourselves but for God.

Repentance is given to us to bring glory to God. Here are seven Scripture verses and thoughts for you to consider and pray about when dealing with the topic of repentance.

1. Proverbs 28:13 says, “He who conceals his transgressions will not prosper, But he who confesses and forsakes them will find compassion.”
2. Leviticus 5:5 says, “‘So it shall be when he becomes guilty in one of these, that he shall confess that in which he has sinned.”
3. Matthew 4:17 says, “From that time Jesus began to preach and say, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”
4. Mark 6:12 says, “They went out and preached that men should repent.”
5. Acts 2:38 says, “Peter said to them, “Repent, and each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.”
6. Acts 3:19 says, “Therefore repent and return, so that your sins may be wiped away, in order that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord.”
7. Luke 24:47 says, “and that repentance for forgiveness of sins would be proclaimed in His name to all the nations, beginning from Jerusalem.”