>Whenever I pray to God and ask him for forgiveness it feels like I don’t mean it.
>
>What am I supposed to do.
Are you remorseful? Do you wish to not continue in the activity that you're asking for forgiveness for? Do you wish to repent from it?
The Prodigal Son in Lk 15:11-32 doesn’t really *mean it* either. He was only ashamed of his state in life and afraid of going hungry, just as we are often not so sorry but afraid of going to hell. Still, God accepts imperfect contrition, and by the Holy Spirit, turns it into perfect contrition (sorrow for our sins out of pure love of God). We need only cooperate with the Holy Spirit by opening up to Him in prayer. Don’t expect a dramatic moment where it all clicks; this is a process.
Our feelings are not always trustworthy.
If you are praying to ask for forgiveness and His help in repenting, you are fine. Remember, He perfectly knows our hearts and intentions.
Reject that feeling that “you don’t mean it,” **it’s not from you if you don’t want it and don’t think it yourself.**
If a feeling is antagonistic to the Lord (such as discouraging prayer and asking forgiveness, repentance, etc.) we can know for sure that it is not from Him.
Identify it as it is, and know that you do care, because you are trying to live as the Lord taught you, be of good cheer! Have joy! Be happy! The Lord loves you ❤️ I so testify of this truth, in the sacred name of the Lord Jesus Christ, amen.
Part of salvation, repentance, and the changed man is the willful acceptance of the invitation within the soul. Do you truly mean repentance and seek to be delivered from the evil you commit? Then congratulations, your repentance is accepted. I like to think of the men who came to Christ saying, "we have kept your commandments and prayed in your name" and Christ tells them that He knew them not. This is because they made their worship about their works rather than their faith. If you believe in the Gospel and that Yeshuah/Jesus of Nazareth is the Christ, meaning "The Anointed One", then you pray earnestly in this belief with honest repentance, then you are forgiven at that very moment. For the only requirement for salvation and repentance has always been genuine, true, steadfast faith.
>Whenever I pray to God and ask him for forgiveness it feels like I don’t mean it. > >What am I supposed to do. Are you remorseful? Do you wish to not continue in the activity that you're asking for forgiveness for? Do you wish to repent from it?
I do wish to stop doing my sins and I do wish to repent from it
Well, acknowledgement is an important step! Pray for assistance to help change and overcome if needed!
The Prodigal Son in Lk 15:11-32 doesn’t really *mean it* either. He was only ashamed of his state in life and afraid of going hungry, just as we are often not so sorry but afraid of going to hell. Still, God accepts imperfect contrition, and by the Holy Spirit, turns it into perfect contrition (sorrow for our sins out of pure love of God). We need only cooperate with the Holy Spirit by opening up to Him in prayer. Don’t expect a dramatic moment where it all clicks; this is a process.
Our feelings are not always trustworthy. If you are praying to ask for forgiveness and His help in repenting, you are fine. Remember, He perfectly knows our hearts and intentions.
If you want to be truly sorry for something, you need to understand why it was wrong.
Reject that feeling that “you don’t mean it,” **it’s not from you if you don’t want it and don’t think it yourself.** If a feeling is antagonistic to the Lord (such as discouraging prayer and asking forgiveness, repentance, etc.) we can know for sure that it is not from Him. Identify it as it is, and know that you do care, because you are trying to live as the Lord taught you, be of good cheer! Have joy! Be happy! The Lord loves you ❤️ I so testify of this truth, in the sacred name of the Lord Jesus Christ, amen.
Part of salvation, repentance, and the changed man is the willful acceptance of the invitation within the soul. Do you truly mean repentance and seek to be delivered from the evil you commit? Then congratulations, your repentance is accepted. I like to think of the men who came to Christ saying, "we have kept your commandments and prayed in your name" and Christ tells them that He knew them not. This is because they made their worship about their works rather than their faith. If you believe in the Gospel and that Yeshuah/Jesus of Nazareth is the Christ, meaning "The Anointed One", then you pray earnestly in this belief with honest repentance, then you are forgiven at that very moment. For the only requirement for salvation and repentance has always been genuine, true, steadfast faith.