CONFESSION AND TURNING AWAY FROM SINS
“THEN GOD SAW THEIR WORKS, THAT THEY TURNED FROM THEIR EVIL WAY; and God relented from the disaster that He had said He would bring upon them, and He did not do it.”
Jonah 3:10 (NKJV)
When the people of Nineveh repented genuinely, from the least to the greatest, even their animals were not given
food, they made them fast also (Jonah 3:5-9). They believed the message brought by Jonah and they humbled themselves; fasted, repented and forsaken their sins (Jonah 3:5-8). As a result of their repentant hearts, God did relent of the disaster that He had said He would bring upon them, and He did not do it (Jonah 3:10).
If God would forgive and reverse the evil He had said to allow or permit to happen; the person or people concerned would have to get a remorseful or repentant heart, and change from their evil ways before He could cancel the evil predicted to happen:
“IF MY PEOPLE WHO ARE CALLED BY MY NAME WILL HUMBLE THEMSELVES, AND PRAY AND SEEK MY FACE, AND TURN FROM THEIR WICKED WAYS, THEN I WILL HEAR FROM
HEAVEN, AND WILL FORGIVE THEIR SIN AND HEAL THEIR LAND” (2 Chronicles Chronicles 7:14 NKJV).
If a believer, an unbeliever alike, is remorseful and repented genuinely, He will not hesitate to overlook whatever judgement or punishment He had earlier determined to be meted out to the person or people (1 kings 21:29; 2 Kings 22:19). Whoever conceals his or her evil deeds would be condemned but the person who confesses would receive mercy:
“HE WHO CONCEALS HIS TRANSGRESSIONS WILL NOT PROSPER, BUT WHOEVER CONFESSES AND TURNS AWAY FROM HIS SINS WILL FIND COMPASSION AND MERCY.”
Proverbs 28:13 (Amps)
Another translation says:
“A man who refuses to his mistakes can never be successful. But if he confesses and forsakes them, he gets another chance.”
Proverbs 28:13 (the Living Bible)
Thus, whatever the wrong thing in your life that you are guilty of should be repented of and confessed to Him, God.
"If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."
1 John 1:9 (NKJV)
Peace.