A SURRENDERED HEART SEEKS TO OBEY GOD
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“If then you were raised with
Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the
right hand of God. Set your mind on things above, not on
things on the earth.”—Colossians 3:1-2
Like a lot of people I know, “Tom,” (not his real name),
wanted to be more like Jesus. Time-after-time,
He went to the altar for prayer making the same resolution not to hit his wife
when he became angry. He pleaded for his
wife to forgive him and each time she believed him and would stay with him,
only to be battered and bruised the next time something went wrong in “Tom’s”
life. It was not until “Tom” learned
that he could not change his behavior simply by making resolutions or by trying
his best-efforts. “Tom” was able to change
when he acknowledged that his behavior was sinful and he genuinely repented. He
applied the following three aspects of genuine repentance to his life, and he
is now able to help people get free and stay free of anger.
You may not be a “wife-beater” in the sense that “Tom” was,
but the Holy Spirit may point out something in your life as you read this today
that needs to be surrendered to God.
1. Conviction: The Holy Spirit will reveal the areas in
which we have sinned and convict us of wrongdoing. Through Scripture, He will show us God’s
standard and what needs to change.
Repentance begins with understanding where we have gone astray.
2. Repentance: The next step—grieving over our
iniquity—is followed by confession to the Lord.
It is simply human nature to sense regret when caught in misbehavior,
dealing with the consequences of poor choices, or feeling ashamed that people
know about our sin. In contrast, genuine sorrow arises from the knowledge
that we have sinned against God. True
repentance will lead us to humble confession.
3. Commitment to act: Real repentance is complete when
we wholeheartedly pledge to turn from our old ways and move toward righteousness. God knows we will not live perfectly, but He
looks for a surrendered heart that diligently seeks to obey Him.
Paul used
strong language when telling the Church to turn from iniquity, “Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs
to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and
greed, which is idolatry” (Colossians 3:5). What
sin are you struggling to overcome? Have
you genuinely repented, committing to turn from it permanently?
Today let’s
ask the Holy Spirit to empower you to change.
Prayer—Father I thank You for the Holy Spirit. Lord I surrender my heart a new to You and I
ask that You shine Your light into my life.
Holy Spirit I ask that You show me any area of my life that I need to
surrendered anew to You today. Help me,
Lord, to commit to walking in Your ways.
I know that according to Your Word that if I repent and confess my
sin(s) that You will cleanse me from all unrighteousness and restore me back to
Yourself and to the body of Christ. I do
that now in Jesus Name, I repent of ___________________ and I ask You to
cleanse me from all unrighteousness, in Jesus Name. Amen.
