There is an intrinsic relationship between forgiveness, repentance, and empowerment. As we each stand (grovel) before the God of the universe we will see our true place is in the grand scheme of things. We are not the measure of all things. (Protagoras. 5th C, BCE) God is.
Some of us have a sense that we are not the Supreme Being. Others act as if they are. I’m not sure how they come to that conclusion.
My concern here is to examine the relationship between the three ideas of forgiveness, repentence, and empowerment. Some of us believe that there is a holy God from whom we need to seek repentence; probably for the arrogant lives we’ve led. More of us do not believe there is a god anywhere to which humanity owes anything. Personally, I’d rather go with the first option just to be on the safe side.
Oddly, when I first repented I felt as if God had already forgiven me. Going into the repentence process it felt as if God was already there ahead of me, welcoming me home. Immediately following I felt cleaner, lighter, and, of course, forgiven. My life prior to my conversion had been convoluted; phiposophy, modeling, dating, and hiding from people. [Yes, for you who know me, I was actually an introvert. Hard as that might be to believe.]
Being empowered is yet another thing that must come from without. Money often empowers people: so does position. Approval by people you admire, or who are in authority above you also empowers us. Some of us need more kudos more than others. It’s not a weakness: it is simply a dynamic of personality and heritage.
The greatest empowerment will come from the God who made us— Jesus Christ. It’s not just enablement. It is true empowerment. In my own life I have often asked God to help me get through something. What I should have been asking for is the power to get through it. Those of us who are tied to God through faith have access to the power of God; but we rarely tap into it. Why is that? Have we become so self-sufficient that we now prefer to depend solely on ourselves? There is only so much power in that.
But all of us need to be empowered at some point in our lives. We do not have it all together. Be sure that your empowerment flows from the Godhead rather than from any other source. Most often, if follows repentence and forgiveness. Good places to start.
Gary
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