There was a man named Micah who stole 1,100 silver coins from his mom. She declared that whoever did this would be cursed by God for their thievery.
Micah quickly admits to doing it and returns the full amount.
At first glance, this seems like a “He did wrong… then made it right” kind of story - right?
But it isn’t.
Micah didn’t return the money because he felt conviction for his sin; he did it because he feared the curse.
Which leads me to ask, do we repent for our sins because we are afraid of what might happen if we don’t? Or do we repent because we are broken over our disobedience that offended God?
I have sat down with too many married couples to walk them through reconciliation after an affair. It’s tough and painful because the cost of the offense, the shame and agony of the confession, and the hurt, usually expressed through anger and bitterness, are great. But one glimmer of hope that I look for is brokenness. A heart that truly grieves for their sin against God and their spouse.
I believe that we can become so jaded to our sins that we dismiss them too quickly. We can ask God to forgive us immediately, but have we owned our offense? Have we approached God with a broken spirit and a contrite heart? (Psalm 51:17)
It is good for us to slow down and “own” what we did. The hurriedness of our lives directs us to “get over it and move on.” The emotion, especially the pain of our sins, tempts us to “deflect and move on.” But that isn’t the healthiest thing we can do, is it?
Owning our sins doesn’t imply that we are hopeless. In fact, it gives us hope. The growth we experience through repentance enables us to become the overcomers Paul speaks of (Romans 8:37).
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