One Step Away

I have never met someone who didn’t feel far away from God at least one time in their life. We go through seasons of hardship, busyness, and change that can leave us feeling like we are doing life on our own. In my own life, I’ve been told by many people, “If God seems far away, guess who moved.” This quote always sparks two feelings in me: guilt, but what quickly follows is overwhelming gratitude.

The Guilt
We can read in 2 Corinthians 7:10, “Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death.” The guilt that can be felt when we are far away from God is meant to be a feeling of sorrow that drives us back to the arms of our Lord. When feeling guilty, we are called to reflect, repent, and make changes that will keep us on the path that God has made for our lives. A guilty conscience is the Holy Spirit’s way of putting conviction on your heart. Guilt does not have to stay with you forever, though. When we bring our feelings of shame and regret to our Savior, He takes them from us, no matter how heavy it is.

The Gratitude
God always longs for a relationship with us, but coming back to the Lord after trying to live on your own can still feel impossible. How do we accept His love and forgiveness after being surrounded by guilt? Psalms 103:12 says, “He has removed our sins as far from us as the east is from the west.” We were never created to live in guilt and shame but to bring it to God in prayer so that we may be forgiven. If the creator of the universe has been so generous to remove our sins so far from us, then we must be willing to as well. We all fall short of God’s glory, but we also have opportunities to be forgiven and made new. The Holy Spirit walks with us in our journeys, and it is only when we deviate from our path that we feel far from God. Our gratitude is that we are always welcome back to a relationship with Him, no matter how many times we stumble. We are always one step away from coming back to our home in Christ Jesus.

Prayer
Dear Lord, I thank you today that you have never left me. Thank you for your unconditional and never-ending love. God, you know my deepest struggles and the sins that have caused me unbearable amounts of guilt in my life. I ask today that the Holy Spirit be louder than my doubts and stronger than the fears that may lead me farther from you. I long for you, Lord. Please forgive me for my wrongdoings, and remove my sins far away from me. Please help me walk the path you have laid out for me and only take steps that bring me closer to you. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Song
One Step Away by Casting Crowns

Bible Verses for Additional Study
Romans 3:23-26
1 John 1:9
2 Corinthians 5:17