Therefore this is what the Lord says: “If you repent, I will restore you that you may serve me.” Jeremiah 15:19a NIV
We serve an awesome God, who loves us more than we deserve and always offers us a chance to repent and be restored. The reality is that we all fall short, no one is capable of living a life free from sin. So the question is not do you struggle with sin, but what do you do when you realize you’ve lost the battle?
Maybe you react like Adam, and go into hiding. Of course, we know we can’t really hide from God, but we can at least avoid Him and those He’s placed in our lives to hold us accountable. Unfortunately, the longer you wait to repent and ask God to restore you, the more damage Satan will do, not only to you, but to everyone else around you. He wants time to destroy you, so he hammers you with guilt, hoping you’ll feel too ashamed to face the Lord.
The truth is, God wants you to come to Him immediately. The Bible tells us again and again that God is our refuge, our fortress. He wants to shelter us from the attacks of the enemy, but to be protected by a fortress, you need to be inside it. As long as we remain outside of God’s will and in sin, we are in a very vulnerable place, so God, in His mercy convicts us. Conviction is similar to guilt in that it makes us feel bad for our actions, but with a very different intent. Conviction is intended to bring us back to God, so we can be restored and continue serving Him. If you’re experiencing conviction, don’t wait to repent! Someone wise once said, “Sin will take you farther than you want to go, keep you longer than you want to stay, and cost you more than you want to pay.” The quicker you turn back to God, the more pain you’ll spare yourself and those who love you.
The scribes and the Pharisees brought a woman caught in adultery, and having set her in the center of the court, they said to Him, “Teacher, this woman has been caught in adultery, in the very act. Now in the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women; what then do You say?” They were saying this, testing Him, so that they might have grounds for accusing Him. But Jesus stooped down and with His finger wrote on the ground. But when they persisted in asking Him, He straightened up, and said to them, “He who is without sin among you, let him be the first to throw a stone at her.” Again He stooped down and wrote on the ground. When they heard it, they began to go out one by one, beginning with the older ones, and He was left alone, and the woman, where she was, in the center of the court. Straightening up, Jesus said to her, “Woman, where are they? Did no one condemn you?” She said, “No one, Lord.” And Jesus said, “I do not condemn you, either. Go. From now on sin no more.” John 8:3-11 NASB
This is a great passage to remember when you’re battling your way out of sin. God is not looking to condemn you, but to restore you. Yet, Jesus was sure to tell the woman to sin no more. Never mistake His mercy and forgiveness as acceptance of your sin. “If you repent, I will restore you that you may serve me.” It all has to start with repentance, an understanding that you are not handling things the way God wants, accompanied by a commitment to do things differently.
So what are you waiting for? Do you love God more than you love your sin? If so, stop sinning. It may be painful to face the Lord in light of what you’ve done, but know that He is waiting with open arms for your sincere repentance. He wants to restore you that you may serve Him. He wants you to return and dwell in His shelter, where you can safely rest in His shadow. Be encouraged by Jesus’ words to Peter when He spoke to Him fully knowing he was going to deny Him, “But I have pleaded in prayer for you, Simon, that your faith should not fail. So when you have repented and turned to me again, strengthen your brothers.” Luke 22:32 NLT Listen, Christian brother or sister, do not let Satan convince you that your sin has rendered you useless to God. On the contrary, He is routing for you, waiting to restore you, and like Peter, will use you again if you repent and return to Him.