Return to the Lord - Joel 2:12‭-‬13

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Yet even now, declares the Lord, return to Me with all your heart, and with fasting and with weeping and with mourning. Rend your heart, and not your garments; return to the Lord your God, for He is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love; and He relents from punishing. Joel 2:12‭-‬13

Wandered Away From Him

As a believer, I have often wandered away from Him. In some sense, I stray every day. He calls me back.

There have been miserable times in my life where I have resisted His work in my life for years. At times I would have looked like an unbeliever especially to those who didn't know me.

A few years ago, due to disaster in my life, I began to realize how much I had rebelled.

And He was right there. I began to pray for His conviction and that I would seek His face. That I would repent. I petitioned the Lord day after day and started to see it happen.

Steadfast, Patient Love

Like the verse says, He was gracious and merciful.

Not only that, He was and is abounding in steadfast love, patient love.

I welcome His correction. But I did not start out like that.

I have found that I must daily set my heart to listen and obey Him. I have old recordings in my head that can speak lies to me about who I am in Christ. "You're not good enough. You can't get cleaned up enough for Him." It's true that I'm not good enough, but He paid it all. I'm covered. He cleans me up.

When I journal and write true things about God and myself (as expressed in the pages of the bible) the old lies disappear and my thoughts are gradually made new.

See, I want to think like the apostles, and like Jesus. Not holding on to rebellion but desiring His cleansing work down deep in my soul.

Lord, keep renewing me, especially my thoughts. May I be filled with grace, love, and mercy toward others, just as you are to me. You live. You are my rock, my strength and my salvation. You are my joy. In You, I seek comfort. May I turn to you with all my heart. Today. Blessed be the Name of the Lord.

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