Get back to the real you!

05Apr07

We’re all familiar with the concept of “repenting”. I’ve heard it referred to as “doing a 180″ or “turning from your sin.” Whatever your definition of repentance, it most likely has a negative connotation, carrying with it the weight of discipline. Not fun!

Recently, I learned something that shed a different light on this misunderstood word.

The Hebrew word for repentance is “shuwb” (SC 7725 pronounced, “shoob”). It literally means, “to return“.

But in the highly-contextual language of Hebrew, the meaning of a word depends on the “house” in which the word is used. For example, you could shuwb/u-turn your car. Or you could shuwb/return to your favorite restaurant. Shuwb can also mean turn back, or turn away.

But in the context of “repentance”, the word means literally, “to return to the man or woman you were originally created to be.”

Wow!

My old idea of repenting was essentially to stop doing the wrong thing that you were doing, in order to start doing the right thing. Generally, the wrong thing was the more fun thing, to be perfectly honest.

But this new idea carries much more significance to me. It means to stop doing what you’re doing because you were never meant for it in the first place!

In fact, the most rewarding, satisfying, fulfilling life that you can imagine is waiting for you, and when you decide to shuwb, you will discover that God had the best plan for you all along.

Get back to who you really are… back to who you were created to be.

Filed under: Musings   |