What did Jesus actually mean by the word repent? Most of us were taught that repent meant shame, guilt, fear, and punishment, and that somehow we were just bad But the deeper spiritual meaning is maybe something very different Maybe repentance means wake up, Turn around, change direction, and change the way we think, and to reconnect the spirit For much of my life, I thought repentance is more about confessing to people than connecting with God And honestly, that was very uncomfortable for me If God could so, could forgive so easily, why couldn't people? It felt like I had to appeal to God first so that maybe I could be accepted by everyone else afterward But in fairness to them, they were following the same, teachings and rules and fears that I was And really, repentance may be one of the most misunderstood words in Christianity Many of us were taught that it meant fear, guilt, and condemnation But the more deeply I looked into it, the more I began to wonder What if repentance was actually about awakening? and waking up spiritually Seeing differently And becoming aware of what fear can do to people Because when fear controls us, it becomes very easy to divide us Throughout history, powerful people have understood something very clear. Fear keeps people confused, angry separated, and confusion often keeps people off balance And when we turn against each other, we stop focusing on compassion, truth, and the deeper teachings of Jesus. And eventually, spiritual exhaustion sets in I found myself asking, would Jesus support the fear and hatred we sometimes see today? Personally, I don't believe he would And then I started thinking about, the wilderness Why does the wilderness matter so much in scripture? Jesus went through trials, temptations, isolation, and struggle And maybe that wilderness experience was not punishment Maybe it was preparation It seems like all of us go through wilderness, moments in life Times of confusion, times of loss A time where we question everything we were ever taught But maybe, just maybe, those moments can also wake us up. So what we can, take away... What, so what can we take away from all this? Maybe repentance was never about humiliation Maybe It was about waking up to who we really are beneath fear I really enjoyed bringing this conversation and being with you today. So let's keep exploring together. Until next time, have a beautiful and peaceful day I am Rick, and I'll talk with you soon. Amen. Amen. Amen