I think sometimes we get confused about what repentances is for. We turn back to God because going our way doesn’t work. Repentance is course correction.
Repent, therefore, and turn back that your sins may be blotted out, that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord.
Acts 3:19&20
It’s refreshing because it’s spent in God’s presence where he encourages us to drop what we’ve been carrying, which is guilt and shame and leave it with him. When we turn back, we don’t keep carrying guilt and shame. No only have we gotten turned around in the right direction, our load is lighter.
It’s kinda like when you’re a college kid and you come home with laundry. You come in the door you drop it and by the time you’re going back to school it’s magically washed and folded.
The Lord is our shepherd, he leads us by still waters, and He restores our soul. That’s what repentance is for, restoring our souls.