What should I do when I have fallen away from God?
Amos 5:4This is what the Lord says to the family of Israel: “Come back to me and live!”
When we realize we are not where we ought to be with God, we need to remember: God’s Spirit is always speaking to us. God hasn’t lost track of us. He is calling us to return! Turning around begins by our recognizing we have strayed and then sincerely asking for forgiveness. God has already said he will welcome us back!
Romans 3:23-24Everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard. Yet God, in his grace, freely makes us right in his sight. He did this through Christ Jesus when he freed us from the penalty for our sins.
Satan uses the truth of our condition to enslave us; God uses the truth of our condition to enlighten us. Satan says, “Yes, you are a sinner; there’s no hope for you.” God says, “Yes, you are a sinner, but I have taken care of your sin. Trust in what my Son has done for you on the cross.”
Psalm 32:5Finally, I confessed all my sins to you and stopped trying to hide my guilt. I said to myself, “I will confess my rebellion to the Lord.” And you forgave me! All my guilt is gone.
It will happen to you as it does to almost everyone from time to time. You will suddenly realize you are farther from God than you should be. It worries you; maybe it scares you. Don’t ignore that internal warning. Find out what happened—have you simply been neglecting your relationship with God? Or more likely, have you been indulging in a sinful habit that you don’t want to give up? When you recognize that you have done wrong, confess it to God, trusting that you can be forgiven and that your relationship with him can be restored. Confession is the act of acknowledging that your sin has separated you from God. Forgiveness is God’s act of bringing you back together. Confession should include your verbal confirmation that you want to move back toward him.
2 Corinthians 7:10The kind of sorrow God wants us to experience leads us away from sin and results in salvation. There’s no regret for that kind of sorrow. But worldly sorrow, which lacks repentance, results in spiritual death.
True repentance involves choosing to forsake our sin and turn toward God. A new life with God in Christ begins when we first repent and trust Jesus as our Savior. Repentance also renews that life every time we have lost our way. If you have never repented and trusted Jesus as your Savior, you’re not backslidden, you’re dead (see Ephesians 2:1-9). If you know Jesus is your Savior, but you have wandered or stepped into sin, it’s time for confession, repentance, and acceptance of the forgiveness he offers.
