Psalm 51:10 (NKJV) Create in me a clean heart, O God, And renew a steadfast spirit within me.
One of the blessings of the living the Christian life is the “do over”. God is the GOD of the “do over”. And thank God He is!
It is one of the amazing privileges of being a Christian. No matter how many times we mess up, get off track, make the same mistake, fall to the same temptation, as long as we are truly sorry, as long as we sincerely turn away from our sin, as long as we have a genuine desire to return to a life of holiness, God will forgive our transgression, clean our hearts, and rebuild, refresh and strengthen our broken and discouraged spirit.
“Now, therefore,” says the Lord, “Turn to Me with all your heart, With fasting, with weeping, and with mourning.” So rend your heart, and not your garments; Return to the Lord your God, For He is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness; And He relents from doing harm. Joel 2:12-17
What Joel is saying is this: don’t ACT like you are sorry for sin on the outside if your heart isn’t broken over sin on the inside. Turning from sin to God originates must begin deep in the heart and flow outward to our lifestyle and behavior. Rend (tear) your heart, which means to be demonstrably broken hearted over your sin and the destruction/grief it has caused.
God is merciful, slow to anger, ready to give you a clean heart, a new start, a strong and steady spirit. He’s just waiting on you to really want it. He’s waiting on you to really NOT want your sin.
Think It Over: When is the last time you thought long and hard about how spectacularly awful sin is and the destruction it has brought to your life, your family, and humanity in general? Have you ever truly been broken hearted over your sin? Do you routinely ask God for a clean heart, a clean start every day?