Therefore also now, says the Lord, turn and keep on coming to Me with all your heart, with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning [until every hindrance is removed and the broken fellowship is restored].
Joel 2:12 AMPC
Have you ever pondered the significance of addressing the hindrances that stand between you and a deeper connection with your faith? This scripture underscores the critical nature of confession and forsaking sin, aiming to remove the hindrances that obstruct your path back to God’s grace. It’s a matter that demands our immediate attention. Regardless of how much time might have been lost in the past, the opportunity to turn to the Lord is always at hand. We are closer now than we could ever be. Therefore, let us not waste another moment, for in the present lies our chance to receive His boundless mercy.
Perhaps you are tempted to delay your return to God. You might be thinking that there’s plenty of time ahead. However, the truth is that the present moment is all we possess. None of us can foresee tomorrow’s uncertainties, so procrastination is a dangerous game. The longer you postpone turning to Christ for salvation, the greater the risk you face. The enemy’s aim is to strip you of your virtues, leaving you spiritually empty. Every time one falls into sin, it leaves a mark on their life, a foothold for the enemy to exploit.
However, God’s call is clear and urgent – turn to Him now and keep coming. Don’t let anything hinder your journey back to Him. Often, people falter on this path because of the shame associated with their sins. They fear the judgments of others more than they desire God’s forgiveness. But God insists, “turn and keep coming”. Come with all your heart, focusing not on the weight of your sins but on the vastness of God’s love and mercy. Approach Him with fasting, weeping, and mourning for your sins. Determine to remove every hindrances until you restore the broken fellowship.
Samuel told the Israelites, “If you are really coming back to the LORD with all your heart, you must throw away your foreign gods and your idols of Ashtoreth. You must give yourselves fully to the LORD and serve only him. Then he will save you from the Philistines.
1 Samuel 7:3 ERV
What idols or hindrances stand between you and a restored relationship with the Lord? The path back to God requires shedding these foreign gods and committing yourself wholly to Him. In 1 Samuel 7:3, Samuel urged the Israelites to forsake their foreign gods and serve only the Lord. Similarly, you must cast aside anything that obstructs your return to God. As 2 Chronicles 7:14 implores, humble yourself, pray, seek His face, and turn from your wicked ways. By doing so, God will hear, forgive, and heal.
In conclusion, the call to return to God is urgent and unwavering. It requires our wholehearted commitment, the removal of hindrances, and a humble approach. Let us not delay but heed His call now, for in our return lies the promise of His mercy, forgiveness, and restoration.
