“And rend your hearts 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 over disaster.”
– Joel 2:13
God is Who He Is. He truly is gracious and merciful, giving us good things we don’t deserve and relenting from giving us the harsh things we actually deserve. God truly is patient and faithful in His love for us, with a strong desire to forgive us for our foolishness rather than punish us for our sins. The greatest proof of His nature is the sending of His Son Jesus into the world to die on a cross to atone for our sins.
However, when we realize the error of our ways and the horror of our sins, we must honestly confess and repent. We must truly return to God, not just make a show of returning while continuing to indulge in our same behavior. In Old Testament times, God’s people would often put on a public display of sorrow for sin by tearing their clothes. However, God isn’t interested in outward displays of sorrow or repentance. He wants our hearts to genuinely be sorrowful for rejecting His authority. He wants us deeply aware of the seriousness of our offense and the magnitude of His grace.
God doesn’t want us to change our clothes, He wants us to change our ways! If you ever find yourself deep in sin and feeling distant from God, remember that He’s always present and ready to forgive in Christ. He longs to embrace you in love. However, you must truly confess your sins to Him – agreeing with Him that you have rebelled against Him and run after what was right in your own eyes. You must truly repent, not merely saying you’re sorry, but living a changed life free of that sin. Whenever we sin, we must figuratively tear our hearts and truly return to God, submitting to His authority, grace, mercy, and love. He will always forgive. #FollowJesus