Repent of disobedience.. not just sin.
I know that we tend to repent of our sin, and we usually think of the specific sin .. like fights we get into with our significant other, or stealing something out of a store, or using someone or something in a selfish way.. well what about repenting of being disobedient to what God says when He speaks to us in our hearts.
I think we need to get deeper in understanding the heart issue. Maybe it’s not the specific sin that is the problem.. maybe it’s us purely disregarding, neglecting, and selfishly turning our faces from God when He speaks to us in our hearts.
Not to long ago I had gotten into a dispute with someone and became outraged.. and in the moment as I had said some really mean and nasty things, God spoke to me and said “Jake, you need to stop this now! And apologize for what you have said. This is not what I want you to be”. I blatantly ignored His words and what He had told me and continued to pursue that person with angst and hurt.
Had I done what He had said I would have been humble in knowing I was in the wrong for what I was saying and doing, I would have asked for forgiveness from that person and I would of obeyed God’s word.
I had done none of that. I had disobeyed God, said things that HE did not want me to say and I hurt another person who is very close to me and whom I love.
So instead of just asking for forgiveness from God for what I had said and saying to Him “Father forgive me for my anger”.. I need to ask for forgiveness for disobeying His word for me at that moment. How is it that God is to speak to us and show us His way when we don’t listen and we are to stubborn to do what He asks.
In this argument I felt I was right, God had told me I was wrong and should stop, I was to prideful and continued in my prideful selfish way. How am I suppose to change then? For me to grow I need to be obedient, a lot of people don’t even like that word because it makes them think of a dog or something.. well God is the father shouldn’t we obey what our father says to us? I mean He does know better than us right? We do want to walk in God’s path for our lives right? So God doesn’t just work in our lives with miracles, and big blessings… I’ll be honest it would be a miracle for me to overcome my pride and obey God’s word when I’m in the middle of an argument, when I want something really badly and can get it, when I want to talk about ME instead of listening to HER or HIM. This would be a miracle in itself, and when we are obedient to the words God speaks to us in the moment we are working in the greatness of love. His love and in that small way bring Heaven to earth.
Make sense? I hope so.. this just came to mind after walking my dog down the street before leaving for PA on tour.
