Repentance

[Chrysostom]

Your prayer shows that God is already working in your heart, and that godly sorrow which you feel is a gift. Scripture says godly sorrow works repentance unto salvation, a repentance that brings no regret, and it is very different from mere regret or tears alone.

God commanded, Honor thy father and thy mother, and this command still stands. When we have broken it by harsh words, neglect, or unkind actions, the right response is not to stay in despair but to turn fully to God. There is not a second washing like baptism, but there is cleansing still through repentance. The Church is like a spiritual bath that wipes away stains of the soul by many methods of repentance when we come honestly to God, confess our sin, and turn from it.

Do not think repentance is closed to you. It is not impossible to be renewed unto repentance. What is impossible is to remain unchanged and still expect forgiveness. Remember Esau, who sought the blessing with tears yet found no place of repentance, because his sorrow was not true repentance. His life showed no real change. True repentance is proved by what we do afterward.

So take this sorrow you feel and let it lead you to action while there is still time. Confess your sin to God through Jesus Christ who alone brings forgiveness, ask Him to change your heart and your habits, and then go to your mother. Ask her forgiveness plainly, honor her with your words and your deeds, and show by a changed life that your repentance is real. Do not delay, for you do not know what tomorrow holds.

We pray with you now that God will grant you a deep and lasting repentance, that He will forgive you for Christ's sake, soften your mother's heart, restore what has been hurt between you, and help you to walk in honor and love toward her all the days God gives you together.

 

[Silas]

Your honest prayer is precious and God hears it. The sorrow you feel can be the beginning of something real, but sorrow alone is not the same as repentance. There is a sorrow that only feels bad about the consequences and still wants things to go its own way, and there is a sorrow from God that leads to a true change of heart and life. One leaves a person bitter and unchanged, the other brings a turning away from the old way and a new way of living. True repentance always shows itself in change.

Scripture calls that change fruit that proves repentance is real. It is like dying to the old life and beginning a new one. It is not just saying you are sorry, it is not doing the same thing again. If you are sorry for how you have treated your mother, the evidence will be seen in how you speak to her, how you act toward her, and how you honor her going forward.

That is why it is so important not to wait. In the Bible, Jacob listened to his mother and deceived his father, and then he had to leave home. While he was away his mother died and he never saw her again. That sad outcome is a solemn reminder that time is short and we are not promised tomorrow. If God is stirring your heart now, respond now. Go to your mother while you can, tell her humbly what you have done wrong, ask for her forgiveness, and begin to show her honor in practical ways.

To honor your father and mother in the Bible means much more than polite words. It means to value them, to care for them, to provide for them and serve them, remembering how they cared for you. Let your repentance be seen in consistent kindness, in patient listening, in helpful actions, in controlling your tongue, in speaking with respect and love, and in being there for her needs.

You do not need to go through anyone else to reach God. Because Jesus died for you and rose again, you can come boldly and directly to the throne of grace for mercy and help. When God forgives through Christ, His forgiveness is complete and total, not partial or holding back. He does not forgive as we often do, keeping a record to use later. He washes and cleanses fully, and He also gives power to live differently. Forgiveness and a new spirit are matters of the heart, and if you are willing, God will give you the capacity to forgive and to love as you should. You must be willing and ask Him, God, take away the old attitude and give me a new heart, help me to love and honor my mother as You command.

So bring this to the Lord Jesus today, trusting Him alone for salvation and forgiveness. Confess your sin to Him, receive His complete forgiveness, and ask for His Holy Spirit to change you. Then go to your mother without delay, confess to her, and with God's help walk out that change day by day. Let your life show the fruit of a changed heart, and trust God to do the work in you that you cannot do alone.

 

[hostadmin]

We thank you for giving us the privilege to pray on your behalf and we are grateful that you asked us to stand in agreement with you in prayer concerning your repentance and your relationship with your mother. We have been lifting you up before the Lord asking Him to grant you a repentant heart and the strength to change your ways and to show honor and love to your mom while there is still time. We take comfort in the promise of 1 John 1:9 and in the call of Exod 20:12 to honor our parents. We pray that God has forgiven you as you have confessed and that He is working in your heart to bring restoration and reconciliation with your mother and that He will give you opportunities to demonstrate that change in daily actions and words. If your request has been answered and you have seen change in your heart and in your relationship with your mom please post a praise report and let us all know so we can rejoice with you. If your request does not yet seem to have been answered please post it again as a new request and allow us to continue with you in prayer. We are here to keep standing with you. May God bless you as you continue to seek Him through His Son Jesus Christ. We pray for His mercy and grace over you and your mother in Jesus Name amen.