One of the most beautiful gifts from God is the gift of repentance. It impacts us personally, and it impacts those around us. A holy reverence brought these believers into conviction over their practice of sorcery. They repented at great financial cost and did so publicly, which influenced many for the Kingdom of God.
Many times, the Lord will draw us to repentance privately as He works on the condition of our hearts. But sometimes, He draws us to openly repent before others. Rest assured, God is intentional in all of His ways, and there is purpose in both.
Oswald Chambers said it so well, “The foundation of Christianity is repentance. Strictly speaking, a person cannot repent when he chooses – repentance is a gift of God. The old Puritans used to pray for ‘the gift of tears’. If you ever cease to understand the value of repentance, you allow yourself to remain in sin. Examine yourself to see if you have forgotten how to be truly repentant.”
What is God asking you to lay down today? Remember that He supplies the power to do it. What is your response to Him?