I think that many Christians at some time during their Christian walk turn away from God. We walk away for a variety of reasons. Some walk away for a few days. Others might walk away for a few weeks, or months, or even years. In the Prodigal Son parable (story) that Jesus told, the lost son would have been gone a minimum of two years. (While the son was gone there is a famine. Famines take at least two years to develop.)
But whether you have been away from God two days, two months, two years or even longer, the path back to our loving Father God is exactly the same.
Step 1. When we finally realize that we have truly left the presence of of our loving Father God there comes an overwhelming sense of sadness in our heart. We desperately desire to once again feel the love, protection and warmth of being in His Presence. In Luke 15:17 it says “ When he the Prodigal son) finally came to his senses”. In the “I am the Prodigal” song, the second part of verse one says “ …and while I’m in my filth and sin, a Holy Light breaks through, my right mind is restored to me, my thoughts all turn to You”.
When we come to our senes, and our right mind is restored, we are truly ready to begin our walk back to Father God’s “blessed place”. And so, with a humble , contrite but joyful heart our journey begins.
Step 2: Repentance and a change of heart are absolutely required to make the complete transition from prodigal to fully-restored son/daughter.
In the Luke 15 story, the son decides to tell his father that he has sinned against Heaven and his father. He is no longer worthy to be called his son, and will ask to be treated as one of the servants. In the third verse of the Prodigal song, the first 7 words are “As I repent and change my heart”. I believe the most important word in this phrase is “and”.
When we want to restore our broken relationship with Father God, repentance is required. It is actually more than required; it is more than necessary. It is absolutely essential.
For many years I was in bondage to an addiction. Almost always, having indulged in that addiction, I would get on my knees and pray. I mean these were honest, heart-felt prayers. Basically I would pray and say “ Lord, I am so, so very sorry that I failed You (and me) again. Please, please, please help me to NEVER indulge in that sin EVER again. Sometimes the prayers were accompanied with honest tears.
And then a day, or a week, or a month, or even a year later I would inevitably fall back into that sinful pattern again. The guilt, anguish and torment I felt were just terrible.
So what changed? I had a change of heart. You and I cannot do this “heart surgery” on our own, This is something only Father God can do for us. The good news is that changing your heart is something Father God is willing, able and anxious to do for you and I.
The prayer is short and simple:
“Father God there are sins in my life that I am simply not able to overcome on my own. The sin(s) are..(name the sins/ addictions) and I am asking you to completely destroy them and break their power over me. I am asking You to change my heart. I am asking for this complete change in the Name of Jesus Christ, Your Son and my Lord and Savior. Amen.
1 Samuel 10:9 (AMP) Then it happened when Saul turned his back to leave Samuel, God changed his heart, and all those signs came to pass that day.