What is Repentance?
Ultimately there is only one first
step toward true emotional healing, and that is a change of attitude
When we become willing to see and admit our
wrongs, even willing to see something wrong with our attitude, the process of
repentance can begin. Repentance is a
process of seeing our wrong, being sorry, mourning, realizing forgiveness,
letting go of baggage, and being grateful for being forgiven.
When a person is willing to forgive, often
because they have been willing to see their own wrong, then their attitude
changes. With a humble polarity, the soul is no longer compatible with or in
need of angry bitter memories to hang onto. These memories that came about in
moments of resentment and judgment now no longer serve any purpose.
By our willingness to forgive others, our Heavenly
Father is also willing to forgive us. And when he does, we find it easier to
turn around and forgive others.
Most of us have never known forgiveness. All
we have experienced is blame. Most of us have never experienced love. All we’ve
known is consoling comfort and distraction or the sympathy of other lost sheep.
But once we respond to God’s (at first
chastising) love with repentance and joy, we then become aware of His
forgiveness. Once we know that love exists and we experience it first hand, it is
easier for us to stop hating and judging others.
In God’s Light of Truth, we see the wrong of
hating others, judging them and holding a grudge against them. From that point
on, whenever we see a memory where we resented someone or judged them, we realize
the error and let go of the sustaining resentment. Soon the memory is also
gone.
It is
in this way that after the seed change of attitude, we see our errors one by
one and they melt away.
I doubt if anyone can truly see their wrong
attitude unless the Light of Truth shines in their soul and they are open to
its admonishments. Otherwise, the prideful person goes from cradle to the
grave, ever looking for self justification.
Death is inevitable result of pride and sin.
And so are the preconditions to death that are set up by our pridefulness.
It is better to eat healthy food than
unhealthy food. It is better to live a moral lifestyle than an immoral one. It
is better to be calmer than to be upset. It is better to be amicable than
hostile. It is better to live within the bounds of propriety, modesty and
moderation than to engage in risky practices. But ultimately, something more is
needed.
an excerpt from Dr. Roland Trujillo's new book on complementary integrative recovery strategies for emotional trauma
