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A TURN FOR THE BEST

So humble yourselves before God. Resist the Devil, and he will flee from you. Draw close to God, and God will draw close to you. Wash your hands, you sinners; purify your hearts, you hypocrites. Let there be tears for the wrong things you have done. Let there be sorrow and deep grief. Let there be sadness instead of laughter, and gloom instead of joy. When you bow down before the Lord and admit your dependence on him, he will lift you up and give you honor. – James 4:7-10 (NLT)

            The instructions are clear – turn away from Satan and the sin he tempts us to commit and turn to God and the intimate relationship He offers. Both of these directives are a matter of the individual will acting in obedience to God. It is up to us to decide which direction we will take, and it is a decision that must be made on a regular basis.

            Repentance that leads to a sorrow of heart is the key. It is not just feeling sorry for what we have done wrong; it is actually experiencing grief over our turning away from God. This act of contrition on our part is not a declaration of defeat, but one of victory. For it is only in repentance that we can declare our dependence on God, our resistance of Satan, and experience the fullness of the relationship God offers. God honors those who draw near to Him in this way.

PRAYER THOUGHT: Lord, Give me the strength to turn from sin and turn to You. I need You!