Repent Definition
If at all times the Lord looks down from heaven on the sons of men to see whether any understand and seek God (Psalm 14:2)…After sparing us for a while because he is a loving father who waits for us to improve, he may tell us later, This you did, and I said nothing (Psalm 50:21). (Rule of St. Benedict 7.26-30).
God is not absent: he sustains the universe. He’s not stupid: after all, he created you. He’s not indifferent: he’s waiting to see what you will do with the freedom he’s given you.
He sees you getting up every day, trying to do the right thing. Then again, he also sees those who don’t bother; are misguided; insane.
Why doesn’t he do something? If you want to complain, make sure you’re doing the thing that you are in fact responsible for. This gives you credibility.
And then you have to stop doing the wrong thing, which is trickier. Maybe you’re trapped. This is when you’ve got to start praying for help.
Usually it’s someone else’s fault. Still, you’re responsible for your part in it.
One day you’ll stand before God face to face, at which point you can explain that he made several terrible strategic errors, one of which was believing in you.
Meanwhile, he’s expecting you to figure out what the right thing is and put it into practice.
Surely he has a plan B?
You ARE plan B. The A guy didn’t make it.
It was supposed to be someone pure. Someone holy. Someone perfect. Unfortunately, now it’s you.
Even if you don’t do a perfect job, the fact that you keep trying makes all the difference between happiness and unhappiness for those who depend on you. Half of goodness is just showing up.
God expects us to grow up, to become mature. This is why he leaves us to make our own choices and even allows us to make mistakes: just as parents allow their toddlers to fall when they’re learning how to walk.
The Christian life is something that we learn by living it, just as we learn to walk and talk by doing these things. We shouldn’t be terrified of making mistakes. When we stumble and fall, we get up and try again. Terror of imperfection is the obsession of neurotics. The Christian has been promised infinite grace, and forgiveness every time he acknowledges his faults.
