Okay, first, I'm not saying that there was nothing in chapter one to share. I just got something more from chapter 2. The point is not to tell you everything about the book. You have to go get it! I'm just telling you what speaks to me...
In chapter 2 we are asked to examine ourselves.
"I want you to look upon this idea of cleansing your heart not as judgment that your heart is dirty, but as God's call for you to get completely right before Him so He can bring all the blessings He has for you into your life. See it as God preparing you for the important work He has ahead for you to do."
She continues to lead you into a prayer asking the Lord to: "teach me what I am not understanding. Convict me where I am missing the mark. Tear down my arrogance, pride, fear and insecurities, and help me to see the truth about myself..."
I will say that since praying this prayer the Lord has brought several instances to my remembrance that I didn't deal with. I screwed up and then just swept it under the carpet. I've even found myself contacting individuals and asking for forgiveness. It's a humbling thing to realize how hurtful you've been to people, even if it was unintentional. Luckily, Romans 8:1 says "there is now no condemnation." It's actually exciting to know that God cares enough about me to point out those things so I can get them taken care of. Let me encourage you to take the same steps in your own lives. I'll leave you with this last blurb regarding repentance.
"It's one thing to recognize when you have done something that has violated God's laws; it's another to be saddened by it to such a degree that you are determined never to do it again. That's repentance. Repentance means to change your mind. To turn and walk the other way. Repentance means being so deeply sorry for what you have done that you will do whatever it takes to keep it from happening again. Confession means we recognize we have done wrong and admit our sin. Repentance means we are sorry about our sin to the point of grief, and we have turned and walked away from it.
Repenting of something doesn't necessarily mean we will never commit that sin again. It means we don't intend to ever commit it again. So if you find that you have to confess the same sin again after you have only recently confessed and repented of it, then do it. Don't let the enemy saddle you with guilt and ride on your back shouting words of failure in your ear. Confess and repent as many times as necessary to throw him off and see yourself with the battle over this problem. Don't entertain thoughts such as, Surely God won't forgive me again for the same thing I just confessed to Him last week. He forgives every time you confess sin before Him and fully repent of it. "Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered" (Psalm 32:1). You can turn things around in your life when you turn to the Lord and repent.
Learn to confess and repent quickly so that the death process that is set in motion each time we violate God's rules is not given time to do it's full damage, "for the wages of sin is death" (Romans 6:23). Ask God every day to show you where your heart is not clean and right before Him. Don't let anything separate you for all God has for you." (The Power of a Praying Woman, p. 40-41)
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