It is true that we won't lose our religion when we have done something wrong if we seek God's forgiveness. Forgiveness is important to restoring relationship. Frederick Buechner, a well known Christian writer, said, "To repent is to come to our senses. It is not so much something you do as something that happens. True repentance spends less time looking at the past and saying 'I'm sorry,' than to the future and saying 'Wow!"

We have all heard many criminals say they were sorry for the crime they committed, but many of them continue to be criminals. Did you know that by far most of the people in our jails today are repeat offenders. They may feel sorry for their sins and crimes, but no real change has taken place. You see, true repentance is a matter of changing directions.

The most important change of direction we can make is becoming a faithful disciple of God and Jesus Christ moment by moment and day by day.