Returning to God: A Lent Week 1 Reflection on Repentance and Renewal
Ash Wednesday and the Beginning of Lent
Wednesday, February 18th is Ash Wednesday which marks the beginning of Lent, a season of reflection, repentance, and renewal. It is a sacred invitation to slow down, examine our hearts, and return to God. Many received ashes placed on their foreheads, reminding us of both our humanity and our hope: we are fragile, yet deeply loved. We are marked by sin, yet offered grace.
The Reality of Sin and Generational Patterns
One of the hardest truths we face during this season is that sin leaves a mark. Sometimes its effects stretch beyond a single moment or decision. Patterns, habits, and brokenness can be passed down through families and communities. We may find ourselves carrying wounds we didn’t create or repeating cycles we never intended to continue. Scripture acknowledges this reality, yet it also reminds us of something just as powerful: we are not bound to repeat what we inherited.
Questions Lent Invites Us to Ask
The season of Lent gives us space to pause and ask honest questions:
- What patterns have shaped me?
- What have I been carrying?
- What do I need to turn away from?
What Is True Repentance?
Repentance is what is at the heart of this season. But repentance is not just about feeling guilty or ashamed. It is a complete turnaround — a change of direction that leads us back to life.
2 Corinthians 7:10 (NIV)
“Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death.”
Confession Opens the Door to Mercy
Confession can feel uncomfortable, but it opens the door to God’s mercy. When we stop hiding and begin to tell the truth about our lives, something powerful happens. Forgiveness meets us there. God does not just forgive our sins; He begins to purify, restore, and make us new.
1 John 1:9 (NIV)
“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.”
Acts 3:19 (NIV)
“Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord.”
In many ways, repentance at its base is just a sincere apology to God.
Sincere repentance includes expressing regret for our sins and accepting responsibility for them. It gives us the opportunity to make amends, asking those we’ve wronged for forgiveness and making a commitment to change.
This is not about perfection. It is about honesty. It is about allowing God to reshape our hearts and lives:
Proverbs 28:13 (ESV)
“Whoever conceals his transgressions will not prosper, but he who confesses and forsakes them will obtain mercy.”
From Forgiveness to Freedom
The good news of Lent is that God offers us more than forgiveness — He offers freedom. We are not meant to stay trapped in cycles of shame, addiction, anger, or fear. Christ came so that we could be set free, not only from the penalty of sin but from its power.
Freedom often begins with a few courageous steps:
- Confession — bringing our sins into the light
- Receiving forgiveness — believing that grace is real and available
- Breaking agreement with the lies we’ve believed about ourselves
- Inviting the Holy Spirit into our wounds and the root causes beneath them
- Walking in community — because healing rarely happens in isolation
This journey is not meant to be taken alone. When we share honestly and pray for one another, healing begins to take root in ways we never imagined.
James 5:16 (NIV)
“Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed.”
Repentance Leads to Reconciliation
Lent also reminds us that repentance is not the end of the story — reconciliation is. God is constantly drawing us back to Himself, making us new, and calling us to be people who carry that same message of hope to others. In Christ, the old can pass away. New life can begin again.
A Prayer for Lent: Search My Heart
Today, as you reflect, consider making this simple prayer from Psalm 139:23–24 (NIV) your own:
“Search me, God, and know my heart… See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.”
The Invitation of Lent
This is the invitation of Lent: not condemnation, but return. Not shame, but restoration. Not just forgiveness, but freedom.
And it all begins with turning back to Him.
Walk With Us Through Lent
Lent is not meant to be rushed or walked alone. We invite you to slow down and create space for God with us during this season.
Join us for a Lenten Prayer Service on Wednesday evening, and for The Word for Lunch — a short, midday gathering for Scripture and prayer throughout the week.
These simple rhythms are designed to help you return to God, listen for His voice, and be renewed in His presence.
👉 Learn more about all of our Lenten gatherings
