Dust and Ashes or Restoration?

Since God loves a broken and contrite heart, Ps. 51:17, and He also want us to be joyful in every circumstance, thankful for all that He has done, and is doing, in our lives and He wants us to be holy even as He is holy, there seems to be some overlap of attitude and character here.

I often fall into the trap of thinking that I need to be broken for a long time over my sin for God to see that I am actually contrite and repentant. Is this what God really wants from me? After giving it some thought, I don't think that is the case.

The Bible gives us many examples of people turning from sin, and also people remaining in their sin. David was a man after God's own heart, so his repentance and restoration would be a good model to follow.

There were many times he was in "dust and ashes" over his sin. He would have seen his sin for what it truly was and been desirous to turn from it, back to true joy. I think the part I dwell on too long is the "dust and ashes". God wants us to be serious about sin, just like He is, but He also wants us to be restored to fellowship quickly with Him and not be thinking about that sin over and over again.

Repentance is turning from sin, toward true joy, but the turn should be quick. As soon as we are shown our sin, we need to recognize it for what it is and then get right back into fellowship with the One who allows us to see our sin, created the relationship in the first place, and has paid the price for our sin so we can actually have a relationship.

If you tell your kids to do something and they disobey, what has just happened? They have broken the relationship. You have not done anything wrong, they have. So when you show them the error of their way, what do you want them to do about it? Is it helpful for your relationship for them to be saddened over their sin for days; to walk around defeated? No. Your desire for them is that they see their sin, quickly acknowledge the sin for what it is and then restore the relationship you just had back to where it was so you both can have joy again.

Lord, may we love our relationship with You so much that we guard it from the sin, that steals our joy in You, with all we have. Please show us our sin, so that there is nothing that comes between us. Please help us to see how You want us to be, in repentance and forgiveness, so that we would not be out of fellowship with You any longer than is necessary. Give us joy inexpressible when the relationship is right. Give us peace indescribable when we are resting in You. Give us love overflowing as we interact with others and they witness Your power in us. You can do this in us, we have no power on our own, so please make us children of the Light, that want to walk in the Light as You are our Light.