How Are Our Emotions Affected By The Working Of Repentance? 

Repentance changes the way we feel about sin, about ourselves as sinners, and toward a holy but merciful God.

True repentance includes godly sorrow for sin: a broken and a contrite heart.

We experience contrition as the Holy Spirit causes us to realize the terrible affront our sin is to a holy God. He further breaks our hearts by showing us God’s love and mercy even while we are in this sinful condition.

“The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise” (Psa. 51:17). 

 True repentance includes deep humiliation before the Lord in realization of our need.

“For thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy; I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones “(Isa. 57:15). 

True repentance includes the sense of shame for the evil things we have done.

We are ashamed of what we have made of ourselves. 

“O My God, I am ashamed and blush to lift up my face to thee, my God: for our iniquities are in- creased over our head, and our trespass is grown up into the heavens “(Ezra 9:6). 

True repentance includes genuine hatred of sin and a loathing of our sinful ways.

“Ye that love the LORD, hate evil: he preserveth the souls of his saints; he delivereth them out of the hand of the wicked” (Psa. 97:10). 

Often, when we find it difficult to be delivered from specific habits of sin, it is because we have not yet experienced sufficient hatred for sin.