Acts 2:38
“Peter replied, ‘Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.’”
Last year, 2019, I experienced some pretty heavy things. Without getting too personal, I can tell you it was enough to throw me into a very deep and debilitating depression. I could hardly get out of bed in the morning, and when I came to work, I sat at my desk and cried, quickly wiping tears from my eyes when my superior walked by. I lost about twenty pounds, which was extremely unhealthy for a person of my stature. I’ve struggled quite a bit in my young adult years, but nothing like this.
Fortunately, I recognized what I needed to do. Having experienced depression on and off throughout my short lifetime, I knew things could be better, so I decided to work for it. I forced myself to do what I needed to do—therapy, medication, lots of prayers, healthy eating and exercise—and in the past few months, that hard work has paid off. I have learned so much about myself and what I want out of life, I am no longer underweight, I don’t cry every day, but most importantly, I am happy, and that is the greatest reward I could imagine.
I’m sure you’ve worked really hard for something before. Maybe you studied weeks for a final exam. Did you ace it? Maybe you got a job and saved a large sum of money. Did you buy something nice for yourself that you were working towards, like a car? Or perhaps you and your team trained all season and made it to finals for a game, match, or meet. Did you win? Were you satisfied to meet those goals, and did the rewards match your expectations?
These rewards are similar to the gifts we receive when we commit ourselves to Christ and open our hearts to Him. When we give ourselves to God, we must recognize our sins, the pain we’ve caused others, and the burdens we carry with us every day. This isn’t an easy task. In fact, it’s an extremely hard task that not everyone has the courage to do. Facing your mistakes and admitting to your wrongdoings takes strength and fortitude. This is what Peter meant when he told the crowd to “repent.” We need to do the hard work: facing our sins and asking Christ for forgiveness. But if we do, we will be rewarded with the gift of the Holy Spirit, just like you were rewarded with an awesome grade or winning sports team.
Today, identify an attainable goal you can reach this week. Read your Bible daily. Pray before every meal, or once when you wake up and once when you go to bed. Listen to Christian music every day while you do a homework assignment. Most importantly, meditate on your sins and ask God for forgiveness. The more work you put into your relationship with Him, the more you will be rewarded for it.