Repenting

[alexnbethmom]

It's hard to let go of. But, the answer is really that simple. Stop trying so hard and let the Lord work in you rather than you trying to make it happen.

it took me forever to finally realize and understand this.....

Thanks Alexnbethmom. I hoped I was awake enough last night to post.

you're very welcome - you did very very well....

 

[Luther073082]

The article you posted was great. But, I felt like you were beating a dead horse a couple paragraphs in, and you didn't really touch on what repentance really was and how it is done.

Also, where do you go or what do you do once you've accepted Christ's forgiveness?

Note: I've been through this before, and it also ended with me accepting Christ's forgiveness. Thing is, I kept slipping back into secularism and it took my focus off of Him. How can I change this time?

Well in reading through the things you where talking about, I guess the thing I would ask myself if I where in your shoes is this.

"Hows that working out for you?" Honestly one of the things that convinces me about my faith the most is that pretty much every sin has possible wordly consequences to it. IMO God gave us these rules for our benefit, not really for his. I don't feel like God was "Oh I'm just going to restrict them so they can have no fun.", but like a good parent he's telling us "Hey don't run out into the street, cause if you do, one of these times you will get run over."

By your own words it doesn't seem to be working out for you too great. I mean you broke an expensive phone because you got angry.

Now I get angry, all of us get angry. But its what we do when we are angry that matters. Pres. Lincoln said once in a letter "When you are angry, count to 10 before you speak. When really angry, count to 100."

What I've found is best is when I'm upset about something, really its sometimes just better to just shut up and not speak. Because when you are really upset, you don't have your wits about you and alot of what you want to say is just going to cause more problems.

Now I'm not saying you don't discuss your an issue you have with someone, I'm saying that if possible you wait until you are calm enough to DISCUSS it instead of tearing their heads off for it.

Anyways thats all the process of sanctification which requires patience, perserverence, learning, and more then anything God's help. But its well worth it because it does help your faith.

And one of the things that helps you really want to change (which God can work with a true desire to change, but can't do much if you don't really want to change.) is recognizing that "Hey this isn't working out for me, bad stuff is happening."

And hey maybe breaking an expensive phone will convince you to work on controlling your anger a bit better.