Yet another year has passed us by taking its joys and tribulations with it. A new year is upon us and as we count down the time until 2012 try taking stock of the past year. During the past twelve months we have lived through many moments of life.

Periods of time are given a name:

• Second
• Minute
• Hour
• Day
• Week
• Year
• Decade
• Century
• Millennium
• Era
• Epoch

We spend a very short time in this physical state but every moment we spend on Earth is recorded and shown to us in a book on the Day of Judgement. What do you want your book to say about you?

Repentance is deep sorrow for a past sin, regret for any past action, correction of a wrong to gain forgiveness, and resolve to live according to God’s law. Repentance is a Greek word meaning ‘after thinking’. In Arabic it means to return, to leave behind the sins of the past and return to the beginning and start again. God is the redeemer of those who ask for forgiveness and repent.

Chapter 2, verse 160
As for those who repent, reform and proclaim, I redeem them. I am the Redeemer, Most Merciful.

Instead of making New Year’s resolutions which are unattainable for so many reasons, try repenting for certain actions and reform yourself. Stop carrying around the negative emotions of hate, fear and guilt and try asking for forgiveness, compassion and understanding from God, from those who affect you and from yourself.

Chapter 19, verse 60
Only those who repent, believe and lead a righteous life will enter Paradise, without the least injustice.

Repentance means to be apologetic, to feel shame, to ask for forgiveness, to change your ways. Is repentance any harder to do than resolving to give up smoking, drinking, lose weight, do more exercise, to spend less money and more time with the kids then fail by February owing to lack of will power? All of these resolutions are worthy undertakings, but if your soul is feeling wretched due to lack of spiritual nourishment, then your body and mind will suffer and affect those around you.

Chapter 2, verse 112
Indeed, those who submit themselves absolutely to God alone, while leading a righteous life, will receive their recompense from their Lord; they have nothing to fear nor will they grieve.

Resolve to love yourself and repent for anything that is playing on your mind and weighing you down. God is the Most Kind, the Most Merciful and Most Forgiving but to be forgiven you need to ask for forgiveness and before you can do that, you need to forgive yourself.