“Do not sit down and try to pump up repentance from the dry well of a corrupt nature. It is contrary to the laws of your mind to suppose that you can force your soul into that gracious state. Take your heart in prayer to Him who understands it and say, "Lord, cleanse it. Lord, renew it. Lord, work repentance in it." The more you try to produce penitent emotions in yourself, the more you will be disappointed. However, if you believingly think of Jesus dying for you, repentance will burst forth.”
Explore This Quote Further
Quote Analysis
In this quote, Charles H. Spurgeon emphasizes the futility of trying to force oneself into a state of repentance. He suggests that instead of attempting to manufacture feelings of penitence, one should turn to God in prayer and ask for His intervention in cleansing and renewing the heart. Spurgeon believes that true repentance can only come from a genuine belief in the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, and that by focusing on Christ's sacrifice, repentance will naturally follow. This quote stresses the importance of humility and surrender in the process of repentance, highlighting the need for reliance on God's grace rather than self-effort.
Understanding the Power of Repentance
In today's fast-paced and often self-reliant society, the concept of repentance may seem outdated or irrelevant. However, Charles H. Spurgeon's words remind us that true repentance cannot be manufactured through our own efforts. Instead, he urges us to turn to the Divine and pray for a cleansing and renewal of our hearts. By focusing on Jesus and His sacrifice for us, Spurgeon suggests that genuine repentance will naturally flow from this belief. This timeless message serves as a reminder of the power of faith and surrender in the process of repentance.
Example of Usage
Charles H. Spurgeon emphasizes the importance of turning to the Lord in prayer for true repentance, rather than trying to force emotions of penitence on our own. Instead of struggling to pump up repentance from within ourselves, he advises believers to bring their hearts to God and ask for His cleansing and renewal. By focusing on Jesus' sacrifice for us, true repentance will naturally flow from our hearts.
Reflection Questions:
As we reflect on these words from Charles H. Spurgeon, it's important to consider how we approach repentance in our own lives. Here are a few questions to ponder:
- How do I typically approach repentance in my life? Do I try to force myself to feel penitent emotions, or do I rely on prayer and the grace of God?
- Am I able to truly surrender my heart to God and ask Him to cleanse and renew it? In what ways can I deepen my trust in His ability to work repentance in me?
- Have I experienced the power of thinking of Jesus dying for me in igniting true repentance in my heart? How can I incorporate this mindset more consistently into my spiritual life?
- What steps can I take to cultivate a deeper sense of repentance and reliance on God's grace in my daily walk with Him?
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“Repentance must dig the foundations, but holiness shall erect the structure, and bring forth the top-stone. Repentance is the clearing away of the rubbish of the past temple of sin; holiness builds the new temple which the Lord our God shall inherit. Repentance and desires after holiness never can be separated.”
“If you yield yourself up to His divine working, the Lord will alter your nature; He will subdue the old nature, and breathe new life into you. Put your trust in the Lord Jesus Christ, and He will take the stony heart out of your flesh, and He will give you a heart of flesh. Where everything was hard, everything shall be tender; where everything was vicious, everything shall be virtuous: where everything tended downward, everything shall rise upward with impetuous force. The lion of anger shall give place to the lamb of meekness; the raven of uncleanness shall fly before the dove of purity; the vile serpent of deceit shall be trodden under the heel of truth.”
“Repentance was never yet produced in any man's heart apart from the grace of God. As soon may you expect the leopard to regret the blood with which its fangs are moistened,—as soon might you expect the lion of the wood to abjure his cruel tyranny over the feeble beasts of the plain, as expect the sinner to make any confession, or offer any repentance that shall be accepted of God, unless grace shall first renew the heart.”
“I hear another man cry, “Oh, sir my want of strength lies mainly in this, that I cannot repent sufficiently!” A curious idea men have of what repentance is! Many fancy that so many tears are to be shed, and so many groans are to be heaved, and so much despair is to be endured. Whence comes this unreasonable notion? Unbelief and despair are sins, and therefore I do not see how they can be constituent elements of acceptable repentance; yet there are many who regard them as necessary parts of true Christian experience. They are in great error. Still, I know what they mean, for in the days of my darkness I used to feel in the same way. I desired to repent, but I thought that I could not do it, and yet all the while I was repenting. Odd as it may sound, I felt that I could not feel. I used to get into a corner and weep, because I could not weep; and I fell into bitter sorrow because I could not sorrow for sin. What a jumble it all is when in our unbelieving state we begin to judge our own condition! It is like a blind man looking at his own eyes. My heart was melted within me for fear, because I thought that my heart was as hard as an adamant stone. My heart was broken to think that it would not break. Now I can see that I was exhibiting the very thing which I thought I did not possess; but then I knew not where I was. Remember that the man who truly repents is never satisfied with his own repentance. We can no more repent perfectly than we can live perfectly. However pure our tears, there will always be some dirt in them: there will be something to be repented of even in our best repentance. But listen! To repent is to change your mind about sin, and Christ, and all the great things of God. There is sorrow implied in this; but the main point is the turning of the heart from sin to Christ. If there be this turning, you have the essence of true repentance, even though no alarm and no despair should ever have cast their shadow upon your mind.”
“O child of God, be more careful to keep the way of the Lord, more concentrated in heart in seeking His glory, and you will see the loving-kindness and the tender mercy of the Lord in your life.”
“Repentance grows as faith grows. Do not make any mistake about it; repentance is not a thing of days and weeks, a temporary penance to be got over as fast as possible! No; it is the grace of a lifetime, like faith itself. God's little children repent, and so do the young men and the fathers. Repentance is the inseparable companion of faith.”