You Didn’t Lose It, You Just Misplaced It

If you want to come to life, you have to go back to the giver of life.

"The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full." John 10:10

If we are going to get back what we've lost, we have to return to what we've left.

"Jesus continued: "There was a man who had two sons. 12 The younger one said to his father, ‘Father, give me my share of the estate.’ So he divided his property between them. 13 “Not long after that, the younger son got together all he had, set off for a distant country and there squandered his wealth in wild living." Luke 15:11-13

We don’t always lose something; sometimes we misplaced it. When I leave my relationship with God, I lose purpose and joy. We have to be honest with the reality that we can’t leave without losing something. We can’t leave holiness and not lose godliness. If we are going to get back to what we lost, we have to return to where and what we left.

"After he had spent everything, there was a severe famine in that whole country, and he began to be in need. 15 So he went and hired himself out to a citizen of that country, who sent him to his fields to feed pigs. 16 He longed to fill his stomach with the pods that the pigs were eating, but no one gave him anything." John 15:14-16

Are you willing to go back to where you left what you have lost/misplaced? Because if we are longing for fulfillment, it is Jesus calling us back to Him. Nothing will give us purpose - not money, popularity, fame or anything else. Jesus is the only one who gives us purpose.

“When he came to his senses, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have food to spare, and here I am starving to death! 18 I will set out and go back to my father and say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. 19 I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired servants.’" John 15:17-19

When the son came to his senses, he went back to his father. The son snapped out of it. We can make that change just as quickly. Too often we find ourselves down a road we never wanted to travel because of a series of small choices, also known as small compromises. Even trying to take the right turn, we keep getting farther and farther from where we started. The best way to get back on track is to go back to where we started - we need to return to Jesus.

There is more to life with God than checking off boxes each week.

"Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken the love you had at first. 5 Consider how far you have fallen! Repent and do the things you did at first. If you do not repent, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place." Revelation 2:4-5

Do you feel like you have lost your passion for Jesus? If you come back, you can get it back. God will let us lose to remind us of our need for Him. We can’t let success sabotage us from thinking we don’t need God. We will always need God!

We may be tempted to grow numb because we’re tired of feeling far from God, but that feeling of being far from God is the awareness that we need Him. We have a choice to make: to suppress the feelings or to return to God.

"Ever since the time of your ancestors you have turned away from my decrees and have not kept them. Return to me, and I will return to you,” says the Lord Almighty." Malachi 3:7

The Father is looking for you. It's time to go back. God is looking for a people to return to Him.

"We have as much of God as we are willing to leave behind." Pastor Eli Nelson

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