Repentance is a crucial component in the Christian life. In it, we find freedom from slavery to sin and show God that we believe His Word. When we dig ourselves into a sinful pattern of behavior, our point of view towards sin can be insensitive. It becomes a habit that gets more challenging to extricate from our lives. Being entangled by the sin that so easily ensnares each of us is a dangerous proposition (Hebrews 12:1-2). Even if we think it is something small, we cannot play with fire without getting burnt (Proverbs 6:27-28). According to Hebrews, instead of letting sin take control over any aspect of our lives, we must lay aside that weight. It also spreads like cancer because our sinful nature cannot be put under control or submitted to God when we continue to feed the flesh (1 John 2:16). The devil and his demons fight to capture more territory in our lives. The less we give in to sin, the better. Those areas where we fully surrender to God are the primary ones where we will genuinely observe long-term success, build eternal value, and reap the rewards of obeying God. It’s only in, with, and through Jesus Christ that we become more than conquerors (Romans 8:37). Apart from Him, we can do nothing of eternal significance. Even our righteous deeds are as filthy rags (Isaiah 64:6). Thankfully, nothing can separate us from the love of God (Romans 8:38-39). Our sins, failures, wrongful motives, inappropriate behavior, etc., are all part of the reality that we fall short of God’s glory (Romans 3:23). We have not lost our justification if we’re children of God, but we can compromise the process of our sanctification if we backslide and hinder our relationship with Jesus Christ. However, Jesus Christ can still redeem us and restore us through repentance, confession, forgiveness, and obedience over time (1 John 1:9).
It may take substantial time to feel the same proximity to God we once enjoyed. As we turn back to Him in repentance, He will be faithful to stay true to His Word. We must pray diligently like King David, who asked that God restore the joy of salvation (Psalm 51:12). It’s critical for us also to draw near to God again as He is still within our reach (Isaiah 55:6). Sin always carries inevitable consequences, but it doesn’t mean you can lose your salvation. Salvation is an eternal gift that God will not take away from you if you are a true convert. It’s our heavenly rewards and blessings that could be compromised if we turn away from God’s plans for us. It’s important to note that when we walk in the faith, the visible evidence in our lives demonstrates that we’re believers. If you haven’t pursued any transformation at all, and you walk in all the same sins you used to before your conversion, then this ought to be cause for alarm.
God doesn’t expect us to arrive at perfect sanctification on this side of Heaven, but it would be unusual for a convert not to see some level of transformation. Over time God will support you and lead you to overcome more and more sin. Essentially, our behavior should look different from when we were non-believers. Demonstrating the fruits of the Spirit such as joy, gentleness, peace, love, self-control, faithfulness, kindness, and goodness are the hallmark of a believer (Galatians 5:22-23). Hopefully, over time you will grow to do so with a higher frequency as the Holy Spirit leads you.
Sometimes, God will discipline us somehow if we miss the mark in one or several areas for a prolonged period. After all, He corrects those whom He loves (Hebrews 12:6-11). In such cases, we would be wise not to disregard His correction but rather embrace it as part of being a believer. Running away from God, not praying, or disobeying Him further would only serve to prolong the process. Instead, if we seek Him diligently and pursue holiness in our lives, we will see this season pass and hopefully learn a great deal from it. Furthermore, we would have the opportunity to apply those lessons that we learned for the rest of our journey with God.
Of course, not everything negative that transpires constitutes this kind of correction. Some things that happen to us may not have a spiritual connection, but they do serve some purpose in God’s grand scheme of things. Otherwise, we wouldn’t experience the situation in question to begin. It would also be prudent to continually seek God through life’s ups and downs, not just when things are amazingly good or terrible. When we take actions like this, it demonstrates to God that we want to be with Him, above all else, no matter what. It indicates that we don’t need some drastic event to become the catalyst for reaching out to Him. He wants us to pursue a relationship with Jesus Christ, the sole Mediator between God and us, not just treat Him as if He was some genie (1 Timothy 2:5-6).
No matter where you’re at or how far or close you feel to God, we all need to pursue Him daily. Amid all the chaos, noise, and various distractions the world offers — it’s not hard to get sidetracked from the real priorities in life. If you’ve tasted of God’s goodness, you know that there’s nothing on this earth that is worth more than an intimate relationship with Jesus Christ (Psalm 34:8). The fulfillment of peace, joy, and every aspect of God’s presence ought to be more valuable to us than anything else. Imagine how much more excellent Heaven will be if that’s what we experience on earth! Praise God for sending His only son Jesus Christ to die on the cross to redeem us from spending eternity in hell (Galatians 3:13-14). Now that God’s abundant grace and mercy facilitated this precious gift through His Son, Jesus Christ, it’s par for the course for us to desire to bring Him glory. After all, bringing God glory is our purpose here on earth (1 Peter 4:7-19).
