True Repentance

Produce fruit in keeping with repentance. (Mt 3:8)

John the Baptist rebuked the Pharisees and Sadducees who came to hear him preach. Evidently they did not come in true repentance. John’s rebuke could as well be applied to me. There are certain sins I commit over and over again. Day after day I come to God to confess and repent. But is it true repentance? Where is the fruit? Repentance is more than sorrow or regret. The core of repentance is deciding to change. That change may not be possible without God’s power, but just as essential is our choosing to do differently. Lord, help me to truly change and not just regret my sins after the fact.