The Joy of Rentance

The Joy of Repentance

Psalm 51:10-13 NLT

 Create in me a clean heart, O God. Renew a right spirit within me.

Do not banish me from your presence, and don't take your Holy Spirit from me.

Restore to me again the joy of your salvation, and make me willing to obey you.

  Then I will teach your ways to sinners, and they will return to you.

     The first year I became a Christian I was so zealous to lead others to salvation that I came on so strong I really offended some family members.  My reasoning was that God had set me free from so much stuff and I felt such joy and I wanted the same for those I loved.  One of my siblings was living a very worldly life and I explained to them that if they continued to live this way, they would spend eternity in Hell.

     That didn’t turn out too well and our relationship went down hill.  I was so troubled about it and just felt miserable.  I grieved because I was sure they were on there way to Hell; I grieved because I felt I was wounded because they rejected Jesus and me as well. 
     I prayed and read the Bible almost constantly and felt I had ‘arrived’.  I was a squeaky-clean Christian; a saint who could do or say nothing wrong.  I carried an oversized Bible with me wherever I went and shared it with whoever would listen.  I lost all my friends, which was okay in my mind because I couldn’t keep company with sinners like them.  What did bother me was my family turning away because I preached so much to them. 
     Eventually I came to understand that God loves the sinner as much he loved me.  What lesson that was for me.  I learned that I needed to love them and let them see Jesus in me.  I also learned that I wasn’t this great Christian I thought I was; I needed to recognize the sin stirring around in my own heart. 
     One day while studying Psalm 51, I came on verse 17; “The sacrifice you want is a broken spirit. A broken and repentant heart, O God, you will not despise.”  God immediately opened my understanding and I gave up another part of me when I realized, I too, was just a sinner saved by grace. 
     I had heard the saying, “You catch them and God will clean them”, referring to the fact that God will accept you just the way you are and it is He who will clean you up and make you whole.  That was me; God had me, but there were things in my character that needed cleaning up.  That was a day of tearful repentance.
     I wiped away my tears and went to my sibling’s house and asked her to forgive me for the things I said to her.  She asked why I had asked forgiveness from her because she had said some hard things to me.  We both cried and hugged each other in forgiveness.  In God’s time, she also came to know the Lord in a very real way and accept Jesus as her Savior.
     Now I was ready for verses 10-13, “Create in me a clean heart, O God.”  The Lord was doing that and still is.  Vs10, “And renew a right spirit with me”; I knew that was a flaw that only God could take care of.  Vs. 11 says, “Do not banish me from you presence and don’t take you Holy Spirit from me.” That was a thought that chilled me to the bone.  I don’t know how I lived through the past years without knowing Jesus as my Savior or having the comfort of the Holy Spirit in times of trouble.  God sent the Holy Spirit as a comforter (John 14:26) and a teacher for which I am so grateful.
     “Restore to me again the joy of your salvation, and make me willing to obey you” (vs. 12) I went from Repentance to Joy.  After I repented, I experienced joy like I had never known.  When someone tells you that once you are saved, you never have to repent again, that is a lie of Satan.  Satan wants you to believe that no matter what you do you are still saved.  You can read throughout the entire Bible about those who turned away from God and were turned over to Satan.  Repentance will not only give you immediate joy, but will open your heart to be willing to do the things He asks of you.
     Verse 13 has given me such more understanding of God’s grace.  “Then I will teach your ways to sinners, and they will return to you.”    I hope you got this truth, because it’s so important.  Go over these verses again and you will see the requirements for bringing sinners to Christ.

•             Ask God for a clean heart.
•             Try to be steadfast in your walk.
•             Pray to God to keep you in His grace.
•             Let the Holy Spirit be your guide.
•             Experience the Joy of the Lord.
•             Share your testimony with out condemning others.
•             People will be saved.