What do you do when you have wandered away from God and are ready to start over?
First, realize that sometimes it takes a crisis to motivate us to start again. Sometimes things have to get bad before people will turn back to God. It doesn’t have to be that way, but often it is. In an odd way, this truth is a comfort when you are worried about someone. They will turn around once things get bad enough. People don’t always do what they should or what is important but they will do what is urgent.
Second, look for spiritual leadership. People who are in a crisis may understand that they need to make changes, but they may not know where to look for direction. Look for wise counsel, and recognize that you may be the person to offer spiritual counsel for someone who has wandered away from God.
Third, seek the company of the likeminded. If we all turned back to God at the same time, it would be easier. Even those of weaker resolve would come along. National days of repentance have been declared in times past. However, it hasn’t happened in this nation for over a century. Don’t anticipate one any time soon. Thus, we need to find likeminded people. We need the support and encouragement of other believers. We are more likely to turn back to God, and stay turned back, in the company of the likeminded.
Last, and by no means least, we need to know that God wants us to turn back to him. God is no mean-spirited disciplinarian watching for us to make a mistake so he can cast us into the eternal fires of hell. God loves the world and desires that people would turn back to him and live.
In our sermon this Sunday we will look at the biblical story of Jonah and talk about starting over when we have wandered from God.