This an outstanding quote from D.L. Moody about repentance. I used it in last week’s Sunday Morning sermon. You can listen to that sermon here. The sermon was on repentance and preached from Luke 3.
Here is the quote (taken from Daily Grace for Teens):
“Let me say what it is not. Repentance is not fear. Many think they have to be alarmed and terrified, and in order to repent, they are waiting for some kind of fear to come down upon them.
Repentance is not feeling. I find a great many people are waiting to to turn to God, but think they cannot do it until this feeling comes.
Repentance is not fasting and afflicting the body. A person may fast for weeks and months and years, yet not repent of one sin.
Neither is it remorse. Judas had terrible remorse, but that was not repentance.
Repentance is not conviction of sin. I have seen people under such deep conviction of sin that they could not sleep at night or enjoy a single meal, and yet, they did not truly repent.
Neither is praying repentance. Many people say, “I will pray and read the Bible,” and yet never repent.
It is not quitting one single sin. Forsaking one vice is like breaking off one limb of a tree when the whole tree has to come down.
What is repentance? It is “Right About Face!” It implies that a person walking in one direction has not only faced about, but is actually walking in an exactly contrary direction.”