Back to Weekly Prayer Plan

Friday: The 6 R's of Repentance

Six steps through repentance, from being honest about what you did to thanking God for the fresh start. Plus a fifty-point list to check yourself against.

1

Recognize — Be Honest About What You Did

God, I know I was wrong when I _________________________________. It hurt me, and it also affected _________________________________.

2

Repent — Turn Back to God

I don't want to make excuses for it. I know this isn't what You want for me, and it isn't the kind of person I want to be. I'm sorry. I want to turn away from this and come back to You.

3

Renounce — Let Go of What Pulled You In

I also want to let go of whatever kept drawing me toward this. I reject the lie that this would make me happy, help me cope, or give me what I needed. It didn't. I don't want it controlling me anymore.

4

Receive — Accept God's Forgiveness

Instead, I accept the forgiveness You give me through Jesus. Thank You for not turning away from me. Help me believe that I am truly forgiven and that I don't have to keep carrying this shame.

5

Realign — Choose a Better Way Forward

Now help me live differently. Show me what needs to change and what practical steps I should take next. Give me the courage to ask for help or accountability if I need it. I want to choose what is good, even when it's hard.

6

Rejoice — Thank God for a Fresh Start

Thank You for loving me, forgiving me, and giving me another chance. Thank You that this failure does not define me and that I don't have to face change alone. I trust You to keep working in me and helping me move forward. Amen.

Inventory for Self-Examination

50 Areas to Consider

Inward / Heart Sins

  1. Pride disguised as confidence or "being right"
  2. Self-righteousness toward people who sin differently
  3. Spiritual apathy or lukewarm faith
  4. Loving comfort more than obedience
  5. Fear of people's opinions more than fear of God
  6. Envy fueled by social media comparison
  7. Bitterness that's been justified and nursed
  8. Unforgiveness hidden behind "boundaries"
  9. Anxiety rooted in control rather than trust
  10. Identity grounded more in roles or success than in Christ

Sins of the Mind

  1. Consuming content that slowly dulls holiness
  2. Pornography or sexual fantasy normalized by culture
  3. Entertaining resentment in private thoughts
  4. Obsessing over money, status, or security
  5. Judging others internally while appearing gracious outwardly
  6. Constant distraction that crowds out prayer
  7. Cynicism masquerading as wisdom
  8. Believing lies about God's character (He's distant, harsh, disappointed)
  9. Replaying offenses instead of surrendering them
  10. Daydreaming about escape rather than faithfulness

Speech & Communication

  1. Gossip labeled as "concern" or "venting"
  2. Sarcasm that wounds rather than builds
  3. Speaking truth without love
  4. Remaining silent when love requires speaking up
  5. Complaining as a default posture
  6. Exaggeration or half-truths for self-protection
  7. Public kindness with private cruelty
  8. Online speech that lacks grace or humility
  9. Using prayer language to sound spiritual rather than be sincere
  10. Talking more about God than to God

Relationships & Community

  1. Avoiding reconciliation because it's uncomfortable
  2. Withholding grace while demanding it for ourselves
  3. Loving selectively — only those who are easy or like us
  4. Neglecting the poor, lonely, or marginalized
  5. Using people instead of serving them
  6. Staying in community superficially to avoid accountability
  7. Refusing to admit wrong or ask forgiveness
  8. Harboring superiority toward unbelievers
  9. Parenting (or leading) through control rather than love
  10. Neglecting marriage or family for lesser priorities

Faith & Practice

  1. Treating church as a service to consume, not a body to belong to
  2. Praying only in crisis
  3. Reading Scripture for information, not transformation
  4. Trusting political ideologies more than the kingdom of God
  5. Selective obedience — following God where it's convenient
  6. Hoarding time, money, or gifts instead of stewarding them
  7. Excusing sin by calling it "personality"
  8. Resisting the Holy Spirit's conviction
  9. Forgetting gratitude and living entitled
  10. Failing to love God with heart, soul, mind, and strength
"Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me." — Psalm 51:10