From Genesis to Revelation, the Bible paints a picture of a patient and loving God who is constantly calling us to come to Him so He can forgive and restore us. Somehow, I think all of us still forget or fail to see this, but it’s everywhere we look. Of course, the devil is always eager to cosign on our doubts and fears that God won’t accept us, so he will whisper in our ears that God is too mad at us to take us back or want us around. But God’s heart is quite the opposite.
God is always calling us to come, even if we do stupid things sometimes… God is looking for a chance to forgive you. (excerpt from Walking in Your True Identity Part 3 by Pastor Vondalier Pipkin)
Consider the story of the “Prodigal Son” that Jesus told. It describes a son who got his father to give him his inheritance early so he could leave the family and go live a wild life. When things got bad and he came to his senses, he decided to try going home, not exactly expecting a warm welcome. (Can’t we all relate to that sheepish feeling of slinking back, knowing we don’t deserve to be forgiven?) But just like our Heavenly Father, the father in the story was overjoyed at his return:
"So he returned home to his father. And while he was still a long way off, his father saw him coming. Filled with love and compassion, he ran to his son, embraced him, and kissed him. His son said to him, 'Father, I have sinned against both heaven and you, and I am no longer worthy of being called your son.' "But his father said to the servants, 'Quick! Bring the finest robe in the house and put it on him. Get a ring for his finger and sandals for his feet. And kill the calf we have been fattening. We must celebrate with a feast, for this son of mine was dead and has now returned to life. He was lost, but now he is found.' So the party began.” (Luke 15:20-24 NLT)
So, when you’ve messed up and feel too ashamed or that you’ve gone too far, always remember that God’s love for you is bigger than whatever you’ve done, and He’s offering a standing invitation for you to come back.
