What does the Bible say about repenting?
How do you actually repent for your sins?
Be embarrassingly specific in prayer. I’ll say the actual thing, like ‘I lied to my coworker about the report,’ and then go back and fix the lie. That’s the awkward part, still hate doing it.
Repenting is turning around. You admit to God what you did and then change direction, and 1 John 1:9 says he’s faithful to forgive when we confess.
I used to think I had to feel awful for long enough before it counted but that’s not in the Bible (like this one).
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I think you mean repent of your sins. Repentance is a change of mind and 2 Corinthians 7:10 cleared it up for me, there’s a sorrow that grieves the sin and turns you toward God and there’s regret that mostly hates the trouble the sin caused.
I didn’t have to want to quit before I could turn. I still go to God while the pull is there, tell Him the sin is wrong and ask Him to change what I want. Romans 2:4 says it’s His kindness that leads us to repentance.
Jesus tied repenting to believing the good news (Mark 1:15) so you come to God trusting what Christ has done for you, admit the sin was wrong and ask for mercy. No excuses, no bargaining.
Then get rid of whatever keeps leading you into it and make things right if you hurt someone. If you fall again go back to God, still struggling after you’ve repented is normal.
Your point that you didn’t have to want to quit before turning is freeing, because I used to wait until I felt ready and never did.
Same, going to God while the pull is still there changed everything for me and his kindness does keep drawing us back home.