I don’t believe the world was
created by some cosmic accident. I believe God is the Creator and Sustainer of
the universe. I believe God planned our world down to the minutest life form.
I also believe what God’s Word says in Jeremiah 29:11—that (just like He planned the world), God has a plan for each of our lives, too. It’s a good plan, designed to give us peace, well-being, hope, and a future—not disaster.
However, God also gives us the freedom to make our own choices, to follow the plan we set for ourselves. When we decide we don’t believe in God, or that we want what we want more than what He wants, our self-made choices can veer us away from God and the results can be devastating. We will have to live with the consequences of our wrong choices and short-sighted plans—a very discouraging thought.
God in His infinite love, however, offers us repeated opportunities to return to Him. Scripture after Scripture speak to us of forgiveness, repentance, return:
James 4:8: Draw near to God
and He will draw near to you.
2 Chronicles 7:14: If people
respond by humbling themselves, praying, seeking my presence, and turning their
backs on their wicked lives, I’ll be there ready for them: I’ll listen from
heaven, forgive their sins, and restore them.
Acts 3:19 Change your mind
and attitude to God and turn to him so he can cleanse away your sins and send
you wonderful times of refreshment from the presence of the Lord.
Joel 2:13: Come back to the
Lord your God. He is kind and full of mercy; He is patient and keeps His
promise; He is always ready to forgive and not punish.
Romans 10:21 says, “All day
long I held out my hands to welcome a disobedient and rebellious people.”
Whether we have strayed a little or a lot from God’s path for us, we can turn back to Him. We can pray as Jesus prayed, “Not my will, Father, but Yours.” It’s not too late to get back on the path God set for us, to align ourselves with the plans He has for us! We need to simply confess our willfulness, sincerely seek His forgiveness, and humbly ask for His guidance!
Be encouraged!
