Discover hope, peace, and purpose and return to God. Embrace repentance and His Lordship in your life. Start your journey back to Him today.
Are you searching for deeper meaning and peace in your life? In "Return to God with your whole heart," we share how faith can transform your heart and help you rediscover hope. Learn what repentance really means and how to do it with your whole heart. Whether you’re new to Christianity or seeking renewal, this message will inspire you to start your journey back to Him. Subscribe for more uplifting content and join our community of believers.
Trevor H. Lund is the founder of Live LIGHT Academy at LiveLight.ca with books, challenges and courses to help you not conform by be transformed. As the Creative Storyteller at RevTrev.com he releases his creative projects in words, videos and sound. Catch his past videos and live casts at https://revtrev.com/tv, and subscribe to his podcast at https://revtrev.com/radio As your host at the Cascade Chalet https://revtrev.com/chalet, he provides safe space for you to self-express your thoughts, feelings and emotions without judgement, criticisms or self control so you can be seen and you can be heard. Learn more about Returning to God with your whole heart https://revtrev.link/heart
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I think we’ve all done it with our kids—tell them to say sorry when we know they aren’t really sorry.
I know that saying “sorry” was part of the punishment for me. I could just say it and get out of problems…that I likely caused. And I know I made it part of the punishment for my kids—they could get out of problems the same way.
But what if there was more to saying “sorry”?
The Bible has two words for this—one for the New Testament and one from the Hebrew Scriptures. The greek is μετάνοια (metanoia) Metanoia is far richer than simply “changing your mind.” It implies a complete reorientation—a fundamental shift in how you perceive, judge, and act. (Or Think, Feel and Act)
The Hebrew word is שׁוּב “Shub” and it means to “return – turn around and go in the complete opposite direction.”
The English word that both these words translate into is Return or Repent.
I had to Repent and Return to God
Recently I had to repent. I had been going one direction and trying to make it work and most of it worked, but some things just were lacking… Listen, I believe that information is only as valuable as the transformation it helps facilitate. And when I’m just giving information, I know it’s not enough.
reI was just about to start recording my course “Live LIGHT with your Whole Heart”.
Let me give you some backstory.
My journey to understand what the Bible meant about doing things with our whole heart started years before. I had found seven things the Bible tells us to do with our whole heart. Seven is a good number. It means wholeness, completeness and if six is the number of human, seven is the number of God. I thought I had it all wrapped up.
But I was part of prayer time with the company I serve. They were praying specifically for our region and I had a few minutes so popped in on the call. The one leading the prayer time read from Joel.
Joel 2:12-13 NIV “Even now,” declares the Lord, “Return (shub) to me with all your heart, with fasting and weeping and mourning.” Rend your heart and not your garments. Return (shub) to the Lord your God, for he is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love, and he relents from sending calamity.
And the guy mentioned the Hebrew word return— is shub. And I knew I had to include Return to God as the eighth thing we had to do with all our heart. (And I combined Obey and Serve as one to keep the number to 9).
I knew I had to change things to get on what God wants me to say.
Are you ready to repent with your whole heart?
Can I pray for us to return?
The ancient Hebrews understood heart in a way that we need to understand and embrace. We use the word “heart” to say we’re doing something with our emotions. The ancient Hebrews understood our heart as not just the seat of our emotions but the seat of our decision and the seat of our action.
To do something with your whole heart means we decide, we feel and we do. I don’t think the order matters.
So to repent or return with our whole heart we need to:
Decide to repent
Feel empathy or remorse
Do what we can to make amends for what we’ve done and didn’t do.
So then the question becomes:
How do you know if you need to return to God?
That’s a great question.
You can ask yourself: “Is He Lord of my life?”
What does that mean?
That’s another great question.
Do you want the short answer or the longer answer?
Good news. I’ll give you both.
The short answer is: if the Bible calls it sin, your opinion doesn’t matter.
Little harsh?
Yah…that might take some unpacking. I’ll get to that soon.
But before I go on, remember God calls whatever ultimately hurts us or others sin. It makes us less of what He’s created us to be. The enemies’ plan is to make us less than who’ve He’s destined us to become. When we think the lie we’re believing is true, we’re hindered in becoming what God designed us to be. God hates sin because sin hurts us.
We’ll leave that there. Let me explain more about making God the Lord of your life.
1 Peter 3:15 (NIV84) But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord.
Remember your heart is the seat of your emotions, the seat of your decisions, and the seat of your actions.
So since “in our hearts we set apart Christ as Lord” we need to see if He’s Lord of our attitude, Lord of our answer and Lord of our actions.
Scripture is the mirror that we look into to see if we’re becoming more and more like Christ or becoming less and less like him.
I find it’s possible to do both at the same time. In one area I’m becoming more like Christ, in another I may be agreeing with the enemy.
But the good news is He is going to finish the good work he started in me. That is his role.
My role is to return to him—to confess and repent. Confess that what I’m doing or not doing is sin and repent stop it and do what God wants me to do — whenever Holy Spirit convicts me that my life isn’t lining up with what He empowers me to be. I stop agreeing with the enemy about the lies I was taking as the truth, and I start living out of the truth that Holy Spirit reveals to me. This can be in my attitude, my answer and/or my actions.
Let’s unpack that.
Attitude to Return
Philippians 2:5-8 You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had. Though he was God, he did not think of equality with God as something to cling to. Instead, he gave up his divine privileges; he took the humble position of a slave and was born as a human being. When he appeared in human form, he humbled himself in obedience to God and died a criminal’s death on a cross.
Do I have the same attitude as Christ?
Ephesians 4:21-23 Since you have heard about Jesus and have learned the truth that comes from him, throw off your old sinful nature and your former way of life, which is corrupted by lust and deception. Instead, let the Spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes.
Do I let the spirit renew my thoughts and attitudes?
1 Peter 4:1-2 So then, since Christ suffered physical pain, you must arm yourselves with the same attitude he had, and be ready to suffer, too. For if you have suffered physically for Christ, you have finished with sin. You won’t spend the rest of your lives chasing your own desires, but you will be anxious to do the will of God.
When I suffer, do I show Christ?
Romans 8:6 So letting your sinful nature control your mind leads to death. But letting the Spirit control your mind leads to life and peace.
Where is my peace?
Is He the Lord of my emotion?
Is He the Lord of my attitude?
Chuck Swindoll has said that I believe the single most significant decision I can make on a day-to-day basis is my choice of attitude. It is more important than my past, my education, my bankroll, my successes or failures, fame or pain, what other people think of me or say about me, my circumstances, or my position. Attitude keeps me going or cripples my progress. It alone fuels my fire or assaults my hopes. When my attitudes are right, there is no barrier too high, no valley too deep, no dream too extreme, no challenge too great for me.
In your heart have you set apart Christ as Lord?
Is He Lord of your attitude?
Answer to Return
When Christ is set apart in my heart, he's Lord of my answers, that's my decisions. Look at these verses.
1 Peter 3:9-10 Don’t repay evil for evil. Don’t retaliate with insults when people insult you. Instead, pay them back with a blessing. That is what God has called you to do, and he will grant you his blessing. For the Scriptures say, “If you want to enjoy life and see many happy days, keep your tongue from speaking evil and your lips from telling lies.
Do I bless those who curse me?
Proverbs 15:1 A gentle answer deflects anger, but harsh words make tempers flare.
How do I respond to criticism?
I didn’t watch the Charlie Kirk memorial and I choose not to what the video of his assassination, but I saw the clip from his wife that the world stopped to notice.
Erika Kirk was addressing the crowd at the memorial. All the commentators were waiting for the riots to break out and the looters to appear—you can never have that many people gather without riots and looting.
But inside the stadium was a place of worship.
Chris Tomlin had stood before the most powerful people in America and led everyone to declare “the names above all names, who is worthy of all praise”.
And Erika shocked them all. This widow with a three year old and one year old said: (play video)
On the cross our Saviour said, ‘Father forgive them for they not know what the do”. And that man…that young man…I forgive him.
Christ needs to be the Lord of your answer.
Is Christ the Lord of my answers?
Is he the Lord of my decisions?
That's a question that should put us in our place.
It should stop us. It should be a time of reflection, a time of: “What am I doing?
Why am I doing it?
Have I brought this before God?
Am I doing it because of shame or to avoid shame or to win the approval of others?
What is the reason I'm doing these things?
“Am I doing it for the show? Am I doing it for the dough? Am I doing it because I worry? Am I doing it because I hurry? “
Or
Do I listen and obey?
Do I learn and apply?
Do I repent when I’m convicted?
In my heart have I set apart Christ as Lord?
Is He Lord of your Attitude? Is He Lord of your Answer?
The final question you can ask yourself is “Is He Lord of my Actions?”
Actions that show we’ve returned
This can’t be a list of things you do and things you don’t do. We’ve tried that legalistic approach and it doesn’t work. It’s not the way God intended us to live. He made us to keep in step with Holy Spirit. Since we live by the Spirit, we need to keep in step with the Spirit. He wants us to listen and obey what He tells us to do.
James 4:17 Remember, it is sin to know what you ought to do and then not do it.
Am I sinning by not doing the good I know Holy Spirit is prompting me to do?
Psalm 84:11 For the Lord God is our sun and our shield. He gives us grace and glory. The Lord will withhold no good thing from those who do what is right.
Am I doing what I know to do right?
1 Peter 3:11-13 Turn away from evil and do good. Search for peace, and work to maintain it. The eyes of the Lord watch over those who do right, and his ears are open to their prayers. But the Lord turns his face against those who do evil.”
Do I seek peace and work to maintain it?
Hudson Taylor a pivotal missionary in China and the founder of the China Inland Mission has said:
Christ is either Lord of all, or He is not Lord at all.
He also said
The real secret of an unsatisfied life lies too often in an unsurrendered will.
He knew the joy of having Jesus the Lord of all. The kingdom of God lives through our lives and its righteousness, peace and joy.
When Christ is Lord of my life, he is the Lord of my actions, he's Lord of my attitude, he's Lord of my answers, he's Lord of my actions.
Let's say that again, he is Lord of my attitude, he's Lord of my answers and He's Lord of my actions.
What happens? Christ is Lord.
One day we're going to all stand before Him. In Philippians, it says every knee will bow. Every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord. This brings glory to God the Father.
Christ is Lord. We recognize He is Lord. We don’t make him Lord. He is Lord.
Set apart Christ as Lord now. Don’t wait for the right moment. If you wait, you might do it reluctantly. It’s important to act willingly, so start today.
In your heart have you set apart Christ as Lord?
Is He set apart as Lord?
Is Christ Lord of your attitude?
Is He Lord of your answer?
Is He Lord of your action?
It is so imperative for us in our hearts to set apart Christ as Lord.
I believe it's crucial to make use of our advantages here. We look to the Holy Spirit and Jesus for guidance. He will lead us. We make the plans, He directs our steps. We align ourselves with Him and we can trust Him with whatever we're doing. Righteousness, peace and joy are ours. As we trust him, the God of all hope fills us with peace and joy so we can overflow with hope by the power of Holy Spirit.
In your heart, is Christ set apart as Lord?
If He’s not…return to Him with all your heart. Confess and Repent.
The Good News is that it’s the kindness of God that should lead us to repentance. (See Romans 2:4)
The Problem if we don’t return with with our whole heart
Too often we mistake His kindness with indifference and his patience with permission.
Too often, repentance becomes a half-hearted ritual—spoken words, quick prayers, or a vague sense of regret. We say "sorry" but hold onto old patterns, hurts, or hidden sins. Our hearts remain divided, and true transformation is missing. We need to learn to repent with our whole heart:
Decide to repent
Feel empathy or remorse
Do what we can to make amends for what we’ve done and didn’t do.
Does this Really Matter?
Shallow repentance leaves us stuck in cycles of guilt and shame. It blocks intimacy with God, hinders healing with others, and prevents us from experiencing the freedom He offers. Without wholehearted repentance, our faith shrivels, and our relationships suffer.
What If we learned to return?
What if our repentance was complete and honest? What if we stopped hiding, stopped making excuses, and truly let God into every corner of our lives?
Imagine what would happen when we return
Imagine a life where the shame is gone, and your relationship with God is restored. You walk in freedom, knowing you’re forgiven. Relationships heal. Old habits lose their grip. Joy returns. Peace settles in where there was unrest. You can learn to return with your whole heart.
How do we do return?
That’s another great question. I’m so glad you asked.
I’ve been looking for a place to for this tool.
TURN To God with Your Whole Heart Tool
T – Tell the Truth 1 John 1:9
U – Understand the Impact James 4:17
R – Receive Forgiveness Psalm 103:10
N – New Direction Acts 3:19
T — Tell the Truth
“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.”
(1 John 1:9 NIV)
Make the decision to agree with God that what you did (or didn’t do) was sin.
Quietly or aloud, honestly admit to God (and to anyone you’ve wronged, if appropriate) what you have done or failed to do. Be specific—name either actions (commission) and inactions (omission).
“This is what I did and this is why it’s wrong”
Do I have anything I need to agree with God that it’s sin?
U — Understand the Impact
“Anyone, then, who knows the good they ought to do and doesn’t do it, sins.” (James 4:17 NIV)
Feel the impact of what you did (or didn’t do). Empathy or remorse are both powerful emotions to pay attention to.
Understand it’s the kindness of God that leads us to repentance. (You feeling empathy or remorse for what you did—or didn’t do—could be the first step before deciding to confess.)
If you sinned against someone else and they bring it to your attention. Ask God to help you see how your sin affects Him, others, and yourself. Reflect on sins of omission as well as commission.
Do I know how my action (or inaction) impacted others?
R — Receive Forgiveness
“He does not treat us as our sins deserve or repay us according to our iniquities.” (Psalm 103:10 NIV)
The ancient teachers said that we can sin against God and sin against each other. When we sin against God it’s easier to get forgiveness. Because when we repent, He’s going to forgive. When we sin against others—they might not want to forgive.
Jesus teaches us to forgive each other. What happens when someone withholds forgiveness?
That’s between them and God. Paul says,
“If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.” Romans 12:18
What you can do—when you want to keep the relationship—is to rebuild trust.
But trust takes time.
It takes consistency over time, or camaraderie in teamwork, or compassion in tragedy or connection in synergy or convergence of testimony. It takes careful entrusting of self and careful entrusting of truth.
It takes time.
Confess and repent of the little things, or else they become a big thing.
You don’t want to have to rebuild trust. But you can over time.
After confessing, thank God for His mercy and forgiveness. Accept that you are cleansed because of Jesus.
If you don’t feel like you’ve been forgiven by God, it might be the sin the of unbelief. Scripture says that “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” 1 John 1:9 And “As far as from the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us.” Psalm 103:12 When you have done everything you can to make amends for the harm you’ve done to others, and have agreed with God that what you did or didn’t do was sin—if you don’t feel that you’ve been forgiven—it might be the sin of unbelief.
You can pray “Lord I believe, help my unbelief” Mark 9:24 and he will reveal to you the lie you’ve been believing and the truth that will set you free.
Will you trust him and His word?
Do I feel that I’m forgiven?
N — New Direction
“Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord.” (Acts 3:19 NIV)
Remember: confession is agreeing with God about your sin; repentance means changing your thinking and your direction.
In Greek μετάνοια (metanoia) Metanoia is built from two parts: “meta-” (after, beyond) and “noeo” (to think, perceive). So it’s not simply about changing one’s mind on a whim. It’s about a deep, fundamental shift in how you see things—a reorientation of your whole way of thinking.
In Christian usage, Metanoia is about reconsidering your values, actions, and beliefs in light of God’s truth.
Old things have passed away. Everything has been made new. This is Holy Spirit’s work—making us more and more and more like Jesus.
He’s going to finish the good work He’s started in us—that’s his role. Our role is to return to him—to repent—when Holy Spirit convicts me that my life isn’t lining up with what He empowers me to be.
We don’t do things the way we used to. We don’t think about things the way we once did. We don’t feel about things the way we used to.
We repent with our whole heart.
Am I being changed more and more into His image?
Paul told the Thessalonians to:
"Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus." 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18
When we rejoice always—focus on God and His promises and trust that He is good—it changes our attitude. When we pray continually—exchange our thoughts with His thoughts and problems for His peace—our answers will be His answers. When we give thanks in all circumstances—train our brain to feel gratitude for simple things and show appreciation to the people He’s entrusted to us in our everyday world—our actions will be His actions.
We will be his hands and feet to the people around us. This is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.
Rejoicing Always changes our Attitude
Praying continually changes our Answers
Giving thanks at all times changes our Actions.
When we’re out of God’s will—in any area of our life—Repent with your whole heart.
Use the Turn to God with Your Whole Heart Tool get yourself back on track.
TURN to God with Your Whole Heart Tool
T – Tell the Truth
Do I have anything I need to agree with God that it’s sin?
U – Understand the Impact
Do I know how my actions (or inactions) impact others?
R – Receive Forgiveness
Do I feel that I’m forgiven?
N – New Direction
Am I being changed more and more into His image?
The Challenge / Next Steps:
Next time you hear Holy Spirit telling you to “repent,” don’t settle for guilt or regret. Invite God to do the deep work and repent with your whole heart.
Kway Future
The reason why I settled on this message has to do with What our church is considering…
We must be sure we’re hearing and obeying.
We need to be turning to something not just avoiding something.
We need to be sure we’re willing to change everything.
There will be times we’ll need to forgive. We may have times we need to ask for forgiveness. We’ll need to actively decide to be unoffendable.
We can’t simply let ourselves become more comfortable.
If God is doing a new thing out of these two churches we shouldn’t ever let hear ourselves say “That’s not how we do things..”
We shouldn’t bring past hurts into this new relationship. We need to allow Holy Spirit to heal us.
So I wanted to give us space to hear Holy Spirit voice tell us if we need to repent.
I’ve shown you the steps to repent with your whole heart. And I want to end by reminding you of His promise.
His promise to His people…which includes us…
…If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land. 2 Chronicles 7:14
Is there anything you need to repent of? Is there anything communally we need to repent from?
We’ll make space for Holy Spirit to speak to us directly. Be open to what He impresses on you. Obey what he tells you to do.
Can I pray for you?
Father, for each person hearing these words, I ask for courage and honesty. Show us what needs to change. Give us hearts that are soft and open to you. Heal what is broken and bring new life where there was only regret. Thank you for your grace that meets us every time we turn to you.
Help us “throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us” (Hebrews 12:1) Amen.
Isaiah 30:15 NLT This is what the Sovereign Lord, the Holy One of Israel, says: “Only in returning to me and resting in me will you be saved. In quietness and confidence is your strength. But you would have none of it.
Take time to let Holy Spirit speak to you
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