Thoughtful Thursday & A Fresh View

ON THE BLOG

A FRESH VIEW

As a woman of faith, I have often viewed “repentance” as the process of having our sins forgiven in order to become clean before God.  

However, over the last year, I have come to believe that this is only part of what repentance means.

We are told many times in the scriptures and by the words of the prophets to repent daily.  

I find this so interesting.  

Most of the people I know, including myself, aren’t going around sinning all of the time.  

Are there course corrections and changes in behavior that may be needed or desired? 

Of course. 

But on the daily, we are not sinful creatures.  

Yet, no one is exempt from repentance

It is a commandment for ALL.

Why?

I believe it is because of what I talk about on this week's podcast episode, A Look at Repentance.

In the Bible Dictionary, it tells us that the Greek word for repentance “denotes a change of mind, a fresh view about God, about oneself, and about the world. Since we are born into conditions of mortality, repentance comes to mean a turning of the heart and will to God, and a renunciation of sin to which we are naturally inclined.”  

I love this explanation so much!

Not only is repentance working on removing sin from our lives, but it is a turning towards and aligning with God so we can have a fresh view about our life and our circumstances.

To see things as He sees them.

There have been points in my life when my vision has been clouded and I have needed a fresh new view about God, about my children, my spouse, and about myself.  

I needed to turn my heart and will to Him.  

I needed to get to higher ground so I could truly see and feel and act as the Savior would.  

Getting to higher ground allows us to get a better perspective–that fresh view. 

This is repentance.

I believe that this commandment of daily repentance is more of a gift than a chastisement. 

Loving Heavenly Parents knew that we would need to shift our perspective and gain greater understanding while learning by experience on earth--in our relationships, in our jobs, in our parenting, in our communities, and in our fatih. 

A change of perspective, a fresh view, can be so powerful.

If you are interested in learning more about my thoughts on repentance, I invite you to listen to this week's podcast episode, A Look at Repentance, and check out my free pdf, The Power of Perspective.