Redemption Groups - Week Seven: Counterfeit Repentance

At Redemption Group this week we talked about repentance, what it looks like, and common counterfeits to it.  A few of the counterfeits really resonated with me. One was “mere confession,” where I don’t go any further than simply talking about my sins in an effort to feel better with no real desire or intention to turn from it.  But the one I really saw as a pattern for me was “worldly grief,” which is counterfeit to godly grief, and something I am more prone to stand in. I think it is because I feel like I have to have something to give back to God in response to his grace.  That God’s gift was so wonderful I ought to be wonderful for him.  Then I feel awful because I don’t match up to what I think I should be for him.  It is awful and prideful to the core when you think about it.  I see the sin that I commit as against myself- by myself, almost like I just knocked over my own sandcastle.  As opposed to seeing my sin against Christ, seeing how unholy and filthy I am, apart from Him.  How justly I deserve death, apart from Him.  That spurs true repentance in me, a godly grief.  In that, I can see how big the love of my God is for me and how petty any worldly grief I can muster up is in the face of a God so holy.Ultimately, the purpose of this blog is to bring glory to the God for the good work He is/will be doing in me and others (Psalm 107).  This blog will do that by broadly sharing my thoughts and feelings about the entire process each week, with no identifying information about others or myself.  The hope is that it will help inform others of what to expect and calm their nerves about actually going through redemption groups themselves.