still can't find repentance...

Hey,

I posted here before about me wanting returning to God but not knowing the way. I've taken the advice Whitehorse and a few others gave me. I told my girlfriend that I have to sort out my spiritual problems so we are just best friends now. I've been praying all the time and reading the Word more often but I still can't find the godly sorrow that I'm looking for. I really want to repent and give my heart back to Jesus but I'm struggling to find the way back. Maybe I should read more often, I don't know. What do you guys think ?

i dont know if this helps, but Jesus never left you, he has always been with you and he will always be with you, if you have problems realising that, you have to forgive yourself first and then you will realise God has forgiven you already. i dont understand what you mean by godly sorrow? but repenting shouldnt cause you sorrow.

If you ask God to forgive, he is faithful and just to forgive. You ask, he does it, and then it's a done deal. Don't let guilt and shame of past sins keep you from walking in victory with Jesus. He doesn't remember them and hold them against you, so neither should you.

__________________
"These Things I Have Spoken Unto You
That In Me Ye Might Have Peace. In the World Ye Shall
Have Tribulation, But Be Of Good Cheer; I Have Overcome
The World" -- John 16:33

but surely I must be truely sorry for commiting any sins before I can repent though ?

If you are not sorry at all, then perhaps you need to re-examine your relationship with the Lord, and ask yourself if you truly ever knew Him. But the very fact that you are guilty, over not feeling guilty, is a good sign. Keep praying that the Lord will guide you.

Sorrow does not necessarily entail sadness. Maybe you should explain exactly what you're looking for. A feeling or emotion is often a misleading goal - true repentance can be accompanied with tears or laughter or just peace and still be true repentance.

At the risk of bringing down protestant wrath upon myself, I think that this might be a situation where action is equally or more important than simple faith. Repentance is not about feeling sorry as much as BEING sorry and working to become right with God again. It's not about punishment (like penance) but about a willingness to do something about it, and to listen to God (and you conscience - with biblical filters on). Maybe all you need to do is let your guilt go - or maybe you feel you need to do something specific to 'prove' your faith.

Once, when I split up with a girl for a similar reason, I couldn't find peace in God - and I needed to give up the guilt that I'd accumulated through unrelated sins. After a few months I realized that I wasn't getting anywhere. Instead of trying to listen to God and do His will, I was trying to get to a point where I would feel perfectly 'right' or at peace going out with her again. I realized that I could never be right with God until I accepted that she wasn't the one, and I had to promise God that I'd never go out with her again even if we are still good friends. Maybe it's not at all your situation, but I thought I'd throw it out there as it seems at least somewhat similar.

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Pray, and read the word. And pray to the Lord, maybe the reason you are still feeling guilty is because there is something he is stirring in your heart to do? Or maybe you're just feeling guilty because it was such a large sin in your mind? You must remember that God forgives, like everyone has said. This is not a "God forgives if..." If you ask forgiveness, and repent (meaning you intend to never do it again, and have given your heart to the Lord for him to work in your life) then it's over! You're free! To dwell on the feeling of guilt over what you did is not what the Lord wants. It doesn't sound like you're waiting on consequences for your actions, but if you are then the Lord will bring you through it.

My entire point is this, I've been struggling with something I did, and I have been having a lot of issues because I am waiting on the Lord to show me how he is going to redeem the situation, and I have been hoping that the Lord gives me the chance to redeem my life, not just forgive me of it and have me move on. But I cannot dwell on the fact that I messed up and keep asking him to forgive me, he already has! Now it's time for me to make my life right with him, and work in my own life and seek his purpose. The past is the past, and now I am his, redeemed and made whole for his purpose.

Yes, you need to pray, and yes you need to read his word, for without that you will never truly know him.

Godly sorrow? That's a new one for me. If you recognize you failed God and repent for it that is it. You don't have to fall into a deep depression over failure to prove your sincerity, unless you really screwed up.

Yes, there is a godly sorrow. I don't have my Bible on me at the moment, but Matt is right about that.

However, Matt, I think you do have godly sorrow, even though you may feel numb, because repentance means turning away from the thing that displeases God and turning to what does please Him. You're not dating the girl anymore, although the temptation might be there, and you're increasing your graces.

This is godly sorrow. You just might not feel it emotionally, thoughm because giving up the girl is hard. Many people do not have the grace to do it and they shipwreck their faith this way. But you do. And you're turning to the scriptures and sppending time in prayer. That is precisely what God wants. That is repentance. And that is what youre' doing.

Don't worry too much about the emotions. The hardness of heart that God hates is the kind where people know they are sining and they have no desire to stop, and they don't repent (stop doing what displeases God.)

You're fine. Of courseyour feelings may not follow suit because what you did was hard. But you're obedient. That's what God wants.

My friend, you're doing just fine.

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Don't let your emotions (or lack thereof) dictate your relationship with God. If you know what God wants you to do, do it. The fact that you want to feel some kind of overwhelming emtion to prove to yourself that you're sorry should tell you that you are, in fact, sorry. People who aren't sorry generally don't want to be burdoned by feelings like guilt, conviction, and sorrow.

Worship God in spirit and in action, and let your love for Him shape your life and the choices you make.