Turn Around
Turn Around
Repent and turn back, so that your sins may be wiped out, that seasons of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord. (Acts 3:19)
What It Does
How often have you stopped at a gas station to ask for directions only to have the attendant say, “You’re going in the wrong direction; you need to turn around.” To repent means to turn around.
Repentance finds its origin not in religion but from a culture where people were essentially nomadic and lived in a world with no maps or street signs. It’s easy to get lost walking through the desert where everything basically looks the same. One could walk and walk and eventually come to the realization he was going in the wrong direction. Turning around, he would head in the opposite direction. That’s repentance.
What It Is
Repentance does not mean to feel sorry or cry over a mistake or blame someone else for the wrongs in one’s life. Repentance is the act of changing the direction in which the heart is inclined. It is a spiritual about-face. It is a change of mind that calls for a change of way.
Repentance is the decision to turn from selfish desires and seek God. It is a genuine, sincere regret that creates sorrow and moves us to admit wrong and desire to do better. It is becoming aware of the awesome love of God that motivates you to change. No one is happier than the one who has sincerely repented of wrong. Far from being drudgery, it is a doorway to life, joy, and peace.
Bottom Line
The sooner you get started back, the sooner you’ll feel at home again.