Of the many qualities of expression which I admire in those with whom I am privileged to associate, one in particular stands out to me this morning as being paramount to truly generative living. Put simply, it is the ability to recognize the need for change, take it to heart, repent meticulously and move forward. Those who are diligent in each phase of this progression save themselves and others from untold grief.
Woe to those who recognize the need, but do not address it, for they will at each turn become more deeply bogged down by shame. Woe to those who recognize the need and take it to heart, but fail to repent sufficiently, for they will be forever repeating their mistakes and losing face before men and their Creator. And woe to those who recognize the need for change, take it to heart and repent thoroughly, but fail to move forward, for they have been given a gift of life which most surely shall perish in their hands.
If you take care not to be wicked or slothful in this regard, your life will be uncommonly generative, exceptionally interesting (to you and to others!) and profoundly fulfilling. Why so many continue to insist upon seeing this as a choice is beyond me, but the choice, dear friends, is yours.
Choose wisely.
Gregory Hake 
Thank you Gregg for your encouragement to take these steps so we can truly live. You’ve put it so clearly – meticulous and sufficient repentance, then move forward. There is work to be done.
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I appreciate your specificity here, because it must be a thorough process to have meaning in any real sense. As you say, what would keep a person from following this out? Well an honest answer to that question would be worthy of deep contemplation and action!
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Your words open the door to the joy of living as they are enacted. After reading them thoughts that came to mind were I am doing ok and do not recognize a need for change. Looking deeper and being meticulous with seeing any area of my heart where there are life disconnecting attitudes such as angst, anger,ego centered wanting etc. it is evidence that such moments of experience if not seen and repented for block the vision for the large field of life opportunities at hand to gloriously move forward in. And as we see such a field before us and move forward with the small and large opportunities our lives light up with enthusiasm and fulfillment. Your posts do go to the root of the matter that brings abundant life!
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These are compelling words. You are so right. Repentance and consequent change of heart and direction must be meticulous and accomplished diligently if it is to be effective. Otherwise there is a residue left in the heart which builds and eventually overtakes. Clean heart, clean hands. Thank you!
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We all say that we want to make a differernce in the world and in the lives of others. Well, you just outlined how in fact we allow ourselves to do just that. The choices which you talk about are provided to us on countless occasions, and each time we make a choice we are either adding value to the making of a difference, or we are taking away from that opportunity. Personally I have over the years learned to embrace change because that equals these very same wonderful opportunities to continue to develop our character and therefore our value. Thank you for both an inspiring and a sobering post today Gregg!
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We each have the power of choice and act upon it every day. However, the real question is, “what type of choices do we want to make”? Most don’t see that the status of their life today is the result of a myriad of tiny choices made in the past. It’s not typically the large, visible choices that shape us, but those that are invisible – the choices of our heart, our feelings and our thoughts (the very ones we have the most control over). If the choices we make are not generative, then the very next choice we should make is to cut our losses and stop investing in that strategy. Once we are willing to take responsibility for where we are, without blaming others, then we must “take it to heart, repent meticulously and move forward” as you so wisely put it.
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I appreciate your outline of the steps for repentance, many thanks. Repentance is the only path to maturity and dependability. …”to repent meticulously and move forward…”, succinctly describes the balance of the process to its entirety. I will meditate on this and use it to complete the process where I may have fallen short.
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There are so many reasons and excuses as to why this process might not be taken to completion. There might be a fear of failure. There might be a fear of success. There might be an ego that is unwilling to repent. The bottom line, however, is that if you do not regularly participate in this cycle of regeneration, you will not be able to be the participant in life that you could and should be. For that to be said about any person is a sad thing indeed.
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I appreciate your words today, as this post serves as a great tool to use to measure my world and where I am personally in my own processes. I can often fool myself into thinking that I am doing what is necessary and moving forward, only to find mistakes repeating themselves or Im giving in to feelings of lack, frustration and discouragement. Your post today is a light that shines in the corners of everyones hearts , bringing truth into plain view so that I and others who care deeply about moving forward can do so, no longer accepting the dullness as part of the process but seeing clearly where the process of repentance can truly begin and the forward motion can consistently occur! It’s true, why indeed would this even be a choice? It should just be!
Thank you!
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