Whenever I do something wrong, I easilly get convicted and feel ashamed of myself. Like Adam, I wanted to hide from God, knowing that I disappointed Him. Instead of feeling sorry for my sins, I have the tendency to avoid communicating with Him. God is so patient, just waiting for me to realize that I can not live a normal life without Him by my side and coming into terms with myself that one way or the other, I shall return to Him with a resolve to rectifiy and be remorseful of my wrongdoings.
A good indication of a true repentant heart is to feel sorrow for any misdeed or moral shortcoming and the desire to return back to the loving arms of the Lord.
Repentance is a process change of thought and action to correct a wrong and gain forgiveness. It usually refers to confession to God, ceasing sin against God, and resolving to live according to His plan and purpose. This requires an admission of guilt, a promise or resolve not to repeat the offense, and an attempt to make restitution for the wrong, or in some way to reverse the harmful effects of the wrong where possible.
In the New Testament, repentance comes from the Greek word metanoia, which means after/behind one's mind. This is a compound word of the preposition 'meta' (after, with), and the verb 'noeo' (to perceive, to think, the result of perceiving or observing). It combines the two meanings of time and change, which may be denoted by 'after' and 'different'; so that the whole compound means: 'to think differently after'. Metanoia is therefore primarily an after-thought, different from the former thought; a change of mind accompanied by regret and change of conduct, "change of mind and heart", or, "change of consciousness".
A good description of repentance in the New Testament can be found in the parable of the prodigal son found in the Gospel of Luke (15 beginning at verse 11).
As St. John Cliamcus once said, "The man who has come to know himself with the full awareness of his soul has sown in good ground. However, anyone who has not sown in this way cannot expect humility to flower within him. And anyone who has acquired knowledge of self has come to understand the fear [total respect and awe] of the Lord, and walking with the help of this fear, he has arrived at the doorway of love. For humility is the door to the kingdom, opening up to those who come near. "
The only way to bear fruit and experience the fullness of God's graces is to make that change of heart and mind. Are you willing to make that change?
