“The son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ But the father said to his servants, ‘Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let’s have a feast and celebrate. For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ So they began to celebrate.” Luke 15:21-24 (NIV)
We all make mistakes. Life takes turns that no human ever expects. When we steer our eyes away from God and choose to follow our own thoughts and minds, we usually fail. It is never our intention to fail, but we do. We think in our hearts that we are doing the right thing, but that is lie. We are truly lost: lost in our own pity and self-worth, lost in the lie that we have the answers, when in fact, only God has the answers. Time goes by, and so much is lost to us because we are stuck in our own issues. We lose precious time with those we love. We lose sight of the real prize, a relationship with God.
When we start the process to “come clean”, God is the first place we should go. Forgiveness is a must and coming back to God is the only answer. Seeking His counsel is the way to shed the hurt and anger we feel toward ourselves. We need to take that first step to say, “Father God, I have sinned against heaven and against You. I am no longer worthy.” When we stretch our internal being to seek the face of God, we see that He is there, with open arms, ready to love, and ready to forgive. We then see that we are worthy.
When we forgive ourselves and ask God to heal us, all doors are open. The people we “let down” will heal when we ask them for forgiveness. They know that God is a good and wonderful God, who always wants us to focus our eyes upon Him, in all circumstances. Our hearts and minds will turn towards Him and it will show. We may have been dead but we are alive again; once lost but now we are found!
Father God, I humbly ask that You forgive me as a sinner – the one who makes mistakes and turns my eyes away when I shouldn’t. Give me strength to seek You for the answers, and not to seek the world for them. Let others forgive me for the sins I have committed, and let me always seek You as my counselor. In Jesus’ name I pray, AMEN!
— Todd Noël
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