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;

— Acts 3:19

God exalted Him to His right hand as Prince and Savior, in order to grant repentance and forgiveness of sins to Israel.

— Acts 5:31

Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.

— Matthew 5:8

Or do you disregard the riches of His kindness, tolerance, and patience, not realizing that God’s kindness leads you to repentance?

— Romans 2:4

When they heard this, they had no further objections, and they glorified God, saying, “So then, God has granted even the Gentiles repentance unto life.”

— Acts 11:18

For godly grief produces a repentance that leads to salvation without regret, whereas worldly grief produces death.

— 2 Corinthians 7:10

Thoughts on Today’s Reading

Grace, mercy and love from Christ to you.

God’s provision of salvation in Christ makes repentance a welcome posture for us, God’s children. A believer’s spiritual growth requires an ongoing battle with personal sin. As believers walk through life, the Holy Spirit’s sanctifying work combats sin’s residual appetites lodged in the heart and mind. While this seemingly ceaseless struggle often feels discouraging, recognizing and repenting from specific sins reveals God’s grace.

Confessing sin regularly allows us fresh experiences with God’s compassion and unconditional love. As we reflect on our past sin, we should not wallow in regret, but confess, repent, receive, and accept God’s offer of forgiveness. We should not view repentance as a painful necessity but a gracious blessing. When God reveals our specific sins against Him and others, let’s readily repent before Him. God longs for us to forsake our sin and seek Him.