You Can Always Come Back to God

You’ve been living without much thought to faith—busy with work, family, and the endless demands of daily life. But then something happens. A health problem, a crisis, or some unexpected pain brings everything to an imprecise, anxiety-generating place. Inside that pit, you might feel the will or need to hold on to faith, to the things you were once taught. However, with the mix of feelings inside your head and heart, the big question becomes, “Can I resort to God, faith and Church now, after all these years of ignoring Him? Wouldn't that be hypocritical on my part?”

Many people feel ashamed or hesitant to resort to God only when things go from bad to worse. The unspoken sentiment at that moment may be “I can't be that hypocritical to resort to Him now, after so many years of not giving attention to faith and teaching," a type of feeling that can be a heavy burden, keeping them from reaching out when they need God most.

If that's you, here’s something you might not like to hear, but perhaps you need to: You can always come back to God, because God is not like you.

God is not like you and me. When people ignore or reject us, we often distance ourselves. If someone snubs us or takes advantage of our kindness, we may choose to cut ties, especially if the relationship becomes toxic - which can sometimes be necessary for our emotional health. Then, if that person reaches out back to us, especially if they are in times of need, we would probably consider that attitude hypocritical, insensitive and ultimately unacceptable.

But God doesn’t operate that way. 

God's love is not conditional or transactional. God does not turn His back on you because you’ve turned your back on Him. His arms are always open, ready to welcome you, no matter how long it’s been or how distant you've become along the months and years.  The Bible tells us in Romans 5:8, “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” God’s love is not based on your faithfulness but on His. And His faithfulness never fails. When we return to Him in repentance and faith, He is there, always there, ready to bring us back into His fold.

If you’re hesitant about returning to an active life of faith because you think it’s hypocritical or because you’re ashamed of your past, know this: It is okay to go back.  He is actually waiting for you. Also: It’s okay to start small. You don’t need to make a loud, public declaration or dive into every aspect of faith all at once.  Jesus' wide open arms do not require you go back loudly or flooding your social media timeline with posts about God and faith. You can just quietly go and be embraced by His forgiving Grace

That is because Faith is not mainly about how strongly you hold onto God but about how faithfully He holds you. Going back to Him means that He does the heavy lifting, for it is His Holy Spirit who called us to faith in the first place, and He will call us back again. And as He works in your heart, He will lead you into a life where faith is the source of spiritual well-being, offering strength and hope that go beyond anything this world can provide. When you feel the need to return to a life of faith, to return to God, shame or fear don't need to hold you back. You can go as you are, you can go quietly, you can go even hesitantly. 

For you can always come back to Him.