Of course, the most important fruit of repentance is the restoration of our access to God, the ability to enter His presence. But there are other benefits we can consider to encourage us to turn away from sin.
What is sin? It is acting contrary to God’s will. Thus, if we sin, we are, of course, separated from God’s will and His glory (Romans 3:23). We live in a fallen world, so we must always examine our conduct to see if we are on the right path (Romans 12:1-2). When we recognize that one of our actions are contrary to God’s will, we have the grace to change our behavior by accepting Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross. The blood of Jesus washes away our transgressions. His example teaches us the right path to follow, and the Holy Spirit gives us the strength to change. Asking for forgiveness and changing course: is repentance (Acts 3:19). Being reconciled with God and being able to enter His presence should be the primary goal of our lives.
But there are other benefits to repenting and changing our behavior to move forward in God’s plan. Even though Job’s friends wrongly accused him of concealing his transgressions, they still raised some good points. Like, what Zophar said in Job 11:16-19 (NIV). There are other benefits to repentance, personal and human benefits.
“You will surely forget your trouble…” (v. 16) When we do wrong, we often reap unfortunate consequences. And we keep dwelling on our foolishness, again and again. Hence all the “I shouldn’t have…” But when we sincerely ask God for forgiveness, we shift our perspective. We move beyond our sorrow and into “repair” mode. So yes, repentance helps us forget our pain to stop dwelling on our mistakes.
“Life will be brighter than noonday…” (v. 17) When we feel we have wronged God, we are consumed by shame and regret. Our minds seem clouded by darkness. This is what David felt (Psalm 32:1-5). After true repentance, we feel liberated.
“You will be secure, because there is hope…” (v. 18). Solutions to our problems come when we no longer carry the burden of guilt. When we know God has forgiven us, we also know He will provide us the means to overcome our consequences (Hebrews 10:19-20). Hope comes back.
“You will lie down unafraid…” (v. 19a NLT) Regret and guilt can keep us awake at night. When we crush our pride and acknowledge our sins, we stop dwelling on past events and seeking justification. When our minds are no longer troubled, we find sleep again.
“Many will court your favor…” (v. 19b) It is not easy to admit our mistakes, to confess our sins to others. But when we demonstrate this humility, when we testify to the grace God has bestowed upon us, we become a model for others. “Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective” (James 5:16 NIV).
We do not repent to obtain these benefits, but rather to be right with God. However, these benefits come with genuine repentance and can be, in a sense, proof of our sincerity.