Repentance does not mean Restoration

We've heard the stories. Some of us have lived them.

Life is a mess and we realize it's because of sin. I mean, really a mess. We've hit bottom and we know why.

So we get to the point where we confess our sins.

Forgiveness from God flows as He has promised (1 John 1:9).

We begin a path of repentance.

Drawing closer to God and further from sin, we begin to walk a new life.

Surely, God will put all the pieces back together.

But He doesn't.

Does that mean that the repentance wasn't genuine?

Does that mean that there are more skeletons in the closet that need to be brought into the light?

Those may be valid questions to ask ourselves. But the Word of God doesn't teach that repentance leads to restoration.

Consider the account of Rehoboam in 2 Chronicles 12.

Rehoboam was Solomon's son, the first king of the Judah in the divided Israel.

After the establishment of idolatry in the northern kingdom, the priests and Levites who had lived there came to Jerusalem in order to worship the LORD in the temple and in the right way (2 Chronicles 11:13-16).

Rehoboam's reign was secured "...for three years...for they walked for three years in the way of David and Solomon" (v 17).

But when the kingdom was secure, Rehoboam "abandoned the law of the LORD, and all Israel with him" (12:1).

Because of this, the LORD sent Shishak, the king of Egypt with his mighty army against Judah, storming the fortified cities along the way and heading to Jerusalem.

However, Rehoboam and the princes listened to the words of the prophet Shemaiah, who declared, "Thus says the LORD, 'You abandoned Me, so I have abandoned you to the hand of Shishak'" (v 5).

The leaders humbled themselves, declaring, "The LORD is righteous" (v 6).

God saw their humility and sent a new message through His prophet. They were to be granted SOME deliverance. Shishak would not be allowed to destroy them. 

But they would become servants of Shishak. "...that they may know My service and the service of the kingdoms of the countries" (v 9).

God accepted their humility. He acknowledged that they had repented. But they still had something to learn.

He wanted them to learn that it was better to serve the Almighty King than to serve an earthly king.

It wasn't for further punishment.

It wasn't because God didn't believe that their repentance was genuine.

God wasn't trying to pressure further confession out of them.

He wanted to use the time of their humility to teach them.

Lessons for me:

1. Just because life hasn't been restored, doesn't mean that God is punishing me.
2. Just because life hasn't been restored, doesn't mean that God is displeased with me.
3. Just because life hasn't been restored, doesn't mean that God is waiting on acts of penance.

God still has lessons to teach me and He is using this time to do it!