If From There

The Word of God specifically states that if you backslide (with whatever manifestations that may bring), you can seek the Lord and find Him. Deuteronomy 4:29 states it so clearly:

But if from thence [from there, the place of unbelief and backsliding] thou shalt seek the LORD thy God, thou shalt find him, if thou seek him with all thy heart and with all thy soul.

This great promise is directly stated with similar wording five more times in the Old Testament, including 2 Chronicles 7:14. Judah’s history amply illustrates God being true to His promise, and the New Testament applies the same promise individually in James 4:8:

Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you.

Backslidden? Discouraged? Off-track? Remember, God has not looked away; we have. And so He encourages each of us to seek the Lord with all our heart. Simply seek God wholeheartedly. You will find Him. His reality will become real to you. Not necessarily experienced as a feeling, there will be a sense of knowing. God is back in view in your life. In seeking Him/looking to Him, God immediately comes back in view. And then you will see He is not angry. Expecting anger comes from viewing situations through a flawed filter tainted with a performance-based influence. Instead of anger, you will see His love.

The key here is seeking the Lord Himself. The goal or focus should not be getting back on track, and if this mistaken notion has been adopted as the primary goal, then a person risks missing the personal relationship with God that He so desires. Mere conformity to performance expectations cannot equal a restored relationship, but when you seek a “nothing between” relationship with God, you will find yourself back on track. Just as the father warmly embraced his prodigal son (Luke 15:20), so our heavenly father warmly embraces us when we come to Him as we are. In finding God, you find so much more. Broken lives find healing when they find the healer.

This honest return to the Lord brings His promised cleansing.
Cleansing opens the way for unhindered fellowship.
This fellowship is with God who is life.
He restores life again—God again. What a blessed prospect!

If from there…. Will you seek the One who is drawing you?