Do you show contempt for the riches of his kindness, forbearance and patience, not realizing that God’s kindness is intended to lead you to repentance? Rom. 2:4
Dear heavenly Father, what a Scripture—what a God you are. The most certifiably insane thing we do in life is to show contempt for the riches of your kindness, tolerance, and patience toward us in Jesus. The GPS of the gospel will never direct us to a destination of harm, only to a place of transformation and freedom.
When I refuse to humble myself before you and acknowledge the ways I love poorly—when I refuse to repent of attitudes and actions that contradict the beauty of the gospel, that is insanity. Showing contempt for your kindness is quintessential madness.
Father, I praise you today for being outrageously generous with the currency of kindness, tolerance, and patience; and it’s only because Jesus took the judgment we deserve that you can deal so graciously with us. And I praise you for leading us to humility, not to humiliation; to shelter, not to shame; to repentance, not to penance.
When we repent, we’re not the one making promises for change; you are. Only you can change us, and you are changing us; for you’ve covenanted to do so—you’ve promised to complete the good work you began in us. When we repent, we simply collapse upon Jesus—who is our righteousness, sanctification and redemption.
So this morning, kind Father, I repent. I repent of not trusting that you are at work in irritating circumstances, over which I have no control. I’ve looked at the weaknesses of others more than I’ve kept my eyes fixed on Jesus. It’s been easier to ruminate broken stories than come boldly to your throne of grace. How silly. I repent.
Because the gospel is true and you are so kind, I repent. May the fresh kindness I receive from you, be the needed kindness I freely extend to others. Grace my heart, attitude and my words; that I may reveal the beauty and goodness of Jesus today. So very Amen I pray, in Jesus’ merciful and mighty name.