Holy Spirit, Give Me a Spirit of Repentance
A Reflection on Acts 5:31, 2 Timothy 2:25, and Ezekiel 36:26-27
Holy Spirit, give me a spirit of repentance—not a shallow, sorry sigh,
But a deep and holy turning, a rending of the inner lie.
Not the grief of being caught, but the grief of having grieved
The heart of the One who loved me, who for my salvation believed.
God exalted Him to His own right hand as Prince and Savior that He might bring Israel to repentance and forgive their sins. (Acts 5:31)
Repentance—not a one‑time act, but a posture of the soul,
A daily, humble turning that makes my broken spirit whole.
It is the gift You offer, the doorway to Your grace,
The cleansing stream that washes all my shame without a trace.
So grant me tears that flow from genuine remorse,
Not from the fear of punishment, but from love’s own force.
Let me see my sin as You see it—ugly, dark, and deep—
Yet let me see Your mercy, wider than the ocean’s sweep.
God may perhaps grant them repentance leading to a knowledge of the truth. (2 Timothy 2:25)
I do not want to hide behind excuses or pretense.
I want to run to You, not from You, for my only defense
Is Your unfailing kindness that leads me to repent.
So break my stubborn heart, O Lord, and let the time be spent
In honest confession, in laying down my pride,
With nothing left between us, no place left to hide.
Create in me a clean heart, and put a new spirit within.
Take away this heart of stone; let my new life begin.
Then I will turn from every sin, from every crooked way,
And walk in the light of Your presence, rejoicing every day.
I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will remove your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. (Ezekiel 36:26)
Holy Spirit, give me a spirit of repentance—not as a burden to bear,
But as a gift to set me free, a fresh and living air.
Let me hate what You hate, love what You love, and find
That true repentance leaves no guilt, only peace of mind.
Amen.
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