The most heartbreaking realization in the life of faith is discovering that there have been moments of deep disrespect toward God—without even knowing it. Disrespect doesn’t always come in the form of loud rebellion or blasphemous words. It often begins in the unconscious posture of treating God merely as a helper in life.
“Why hasn’t He answered yet?” “After all this prayer, why this result?” “Lord, is this all You can do?” — Complaints disguised as faith, disappointment cloaked in the language of trust, all stem from an attitude that seeks to bind God to our own timeline. We say, “Your will be done,” but deep inside, we are clinging to our own will. And in doing so, we become those who are subtly irreverent before God.
We hear so often that “God is full of love” that the phrase becomes a cliché. But when that love is reduced to something merely familiar, we no longer appreciate it. We start to expect it, take it for granted, even demand it. We stop relating to God as Lord and instead approach Him functionally. That is where irreverence begins.
When Faith Begins to Drift Toward Irreverence
We are most likely to become irreverent when we mistakenly believe that intimacy with God excuses familiarity. But intimacy does not cancel reverence. Jesus walked with His disciples as a friend, yet always led them to their knees in awe.
When we pray and confess, “I don’t even have the strength to pray anymore,” it may reflect weakness, but it can also reveal a loss of trust in God. When self-blame turns into quiet judgment—“God didn’t help me”—we’ve unknowingly tried to take God’s seat. That, too, is irreverence.
Often this irreverence hides within grace. “God will understand,” “He always forgives”—these may sound comforting, but they can mask an unrepentant heart. God waits for us to grow humble—not just in our words, but in the posture behind them.
Repentance Begins with Remembrance
True repentance does not begin with emotion—it begins with memory. When we recall how we’ve treated God, when we remember the grace we’ve mishandled, repentance begins.
The prodigal son in Luke 15 starts his return not with a dramatic act, but with a memory: “How many of my father’s hired servants have food to spare…” Repentance began the moment he remembered and called his father Father again, even before he returned home.
So it is with us. Repentance is less about events and more about a shift in how we see God. Calling Him “Lord” again, honoring Him with reverence—that is where it starts.
As the memories of our careless words, attitudes, and thoughts surface, we begin to repent not just with our lips but with our lives. Repentance becomes both a return and a new beginning.
Repentance Does Not End with Tears
Tears may accompany repentance, but true repentance shows itself in changed direction. It means stopping, letting go of our desires, and turning toward what God desires. Repentance isn’t just remorse—it is re-centering our lives around God’s heart.
God’s Forgiveness Comes Quickly, But Repentance Comes Slowly
God doesn’t delay His forgiveness, but we delay our repentance. Why? Because admitting that we have been irreverent is painful. It’s hard to acknowledge that while saying we believe in God, we really wanted our own will done. It’s hard to admit that our prayers were more about control than surrender.
David experienced this. After his sin with Bathsheba, he remained silent until the prophet Nathan confronted him. But in Psalm 51, he confessed, “The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.” David was undone not just by his guilt, but by how deeply he had hurt God’s heart. That is where true repentance begins.
Our Disrespect Often Hides in Silence
Our irreverence doesn’t always take the form of loud defiance. Sometimes it hides in silence—when we ignore God’s prompting, avoid His invitations to restore us, or passively resist His pursuit. Repentance requires us to revisit these silences: “What was I doing when God knocked on my heart?” “Why did I suppress that conviction from His Word?” Repentance involves bringing those memories into the light and saying, “Lord, I was wrong. I treated Your love lightly.”
The Depth of Repentance Reflects the Depth of Love Understood
The deeper we grasp God’s love, the deeper our repentance becomes. We may begin with guilt, but true repentance flows from awareness of love. Like a child who later regrets snapping at a parent—not just because it was wrong, but because it hurt someone who loves them so deeply.
Repenting before God is much the same. We are overwhelmed not just by our sin, but by the greatness of the love we took for granted. The tears that flow in that place are the most genuine.
Repentance Must Be Followed by New Obedience
No matter how sincere, tears alone do not complete repentance. The evidence of true repentance is seen in the next step we take. A new path, a different posture, a renewed reverence. A repentant heart no longer uses God as a means but sees Him as the end.
Reviving our spiritual life is not about recovering emotion—it’s about restoring center. If our prayers shift, our gratitude deepens, and our worship changes, then these are the gifts that follow repentance.
Even if the memory of our irreverence is painful or shameful, God does not turn away. In fact, He runs to embrace the one who returns. The Father saw the son from a distance, ran to him, and kissed him. That is the end of repentance and the beginning of grace.
Maeil Scripture Journal | Faith Column
