Trifecta
“Repentance always precedes perfection”
The phrase “Trifecta” is a term used only in the context of a bet in a horse race. By definition, its a bet in which you choose the first three finishers in a race in the correct order. If you win a trifecta, you win big!
Men, I’ve got a hot tip! I recently discovered another “trifecta” where all the odds are in your favor and you can win big every time! Bear with me, I’m not suggesting a cash payout but something much more valuable. Something that will pay out dividends of honor, dividends of respect and the icing on the cake is a good night’s sleep for the rest of your life.
I call this hot tip the “Transformation Trifecta” which you will need the following three wagers; conviction, confession, and repentance. Repentance was used by the Greek military as a command to “about-face” or “turn around” and seems to be the most necessary but neglected part of the transformation process. Conviction, confession, and repentance are the three basic prerequisites for a changed life and are not mutually exclusive.
Here’s what I mean; you can have the conviction you did something inappropriate but you can neglect the two subsequent steps by rationalizing or not taking responsibility for your actions. You can confess an offense, but without intelligently understanding your wrongdoing, you dilute the confession to a mere formality without the desire to change your behavior. Without a true sense of guilt, saying “I’m sorry” are empty words that will never lead you to an “about-face” from bad behavior.
Conviction speaks to the heart, confession restores the soul, repentance renews the mind; the “Transformation Trifecta”. You can feel convicted and confess, but if you fail to turn from the actions of your offense, you will find yourself constantly struggling against it like a modern day Sisyphus who for eternity was forced to roll an immense boulder uphill only for it to roll back down when it nears the top. Sound familiar?
When a man does not experience the conviction of his wrong doing, it is a sure sign he has not truly repented. Can you imagine conquering anything of significance without proper preparation, training, practice and support? The preparation to understand and take responsibility for your actions. The training to quickly respond to your faults. Practicing saying “I’m sorry” starting with the little things. Seeking support from other men who will hold you accountable for you own unique fulfillment.
Maybe you’ve never understood why you continue to do things that make your life more complicated. There is no shame in ignorance, but there is in denying that you are. If you truly value the pursuit of knowledge and being a better man, you must be free to follow wherever that search may lead you. The great aim of learning is not knowledge but action. The freedom to be men of honor and integrity is not as a barking dog, to be tethered on a chain but to run in freedom of life to experience our existence and fulfill our purpose to its fullest.
Now you’re in a predicament. You are now aware that conviction of the heart for your actions, the confession with your mouth for forgiveness, and the repentance to turn away from those things that are counterproductive need to be performed to win the grand prize that awaits you.
Many men know a great deal, but may be greater fools for it, but to know how to use knowledge is to have wisdom. The Transformation Trifecta is not a one time act, it’s a process for each indiscretion to free you from forever pushing that boulder uphill. Miserable men are full of avoided repentance. Mere sorrow, which weeps and sits still, is not repentance. Repentance is sorrow converted into action; into a movement toward a new and better life.
Experience tells us that men who have only a slight conviction of wrong sooner or later lapse back into their old ways. The sun may rise tomorrow but you may not, today is your day to win the Trifecta and live your life in freedom from the things that keep you from being a better man.