When We Turn …
There is a point where we come to and it really helps when we see it for what it is. When we see the mess, we have made and instead of being judged by God He stands and extents His hand in hopes that we will humble ourselves and turn. We are extended forgiveness for our self-centered ways, and our sins that to this point have separated us from God.
You were like sheep that continually wandered away, but now you have returned to the true Shepherd of your lives—the kind Guardian who lovingly watches over your souls. (1 Peter 2:25 TPT)
God meets us with loving caring kindness and accepts us back just the way we are. The first step to true repentance is to turn back towards God. Repentance brings the one thing that God longs for “restoration”. When we take ownership, it means that we take full responsibility for our actions. We do not pass it onto something else or play the blame game.
When we openly confess and acknowledge our wrongs before the Lord, we can be guaranteed that we will receive forgiveness.
When we find ourselves in sin, we must use the same attitude about what we have done. Taking ownership will enable us to move forward because without it we will not get any where spiritually. Listen to this verse as to what David cry’s forth to God.
Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. Make me to hear joy and gladness; that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoice. Hide thy face from my sins and eradicate all my iniquities. (Psalms 51:7-9 KJV)
Our prayer needs to be the same, because of your great mercy, blot out, wipe out, obliterate, exterminate my transgressions. Only the Lord can offer us forgiveness with the power to blot out all our iniquities. Our only hope is in the Lord. So, when we need to get on our spiritual feet again, only God has the ability and power to accomplish this in our lives. This is how we turn back to God.
Through the blood of his Son, we are set free from our sins. God forgives our failures because of his overflowing kindness. (Ephesians 1:7 GW)
Our cry needs to be that the Lord would have pity on us. Lord, we need your abundant goodness and compassion. Be merciful to us. This is seeking Him out.
When we seek, we will find His forgiveness for our sins.
Seek God while he’s here to be found, pray to him while he’s close at hand. Let the wicked abandon their way of life and the evil their way of thinking. Let them come back to God, who is merciful, come back to our God, who is lavish with forgiveness. (Isaiah 55:6-7 MSG)
In our hour of need we are guaranteed that when we humble ourselves and ask for help, we will receive help. With a repentant humble heart, we can be sure that God will allow us to find Him. But more than finding Him we are reinstated with Him as one.
What a beautiful picture what a perfect ending.
Prayer: Dear Lord, we are grateful that you allow us the ability to recognize our short comings. You give us the ability to acknowledge wrongs and turn back, seek you, and find you. What a wonderful God and friend you are. You are our true redeemer and you have done what no one else could do. You have forgiven us and reinstated us again as one with you.
Verse: I will show my love to those who passionately love me. For they will search and search continually until they find me. (Proverbs 8:17 TPT)