You want to return to Jesus. Part of you does, anyway.
You’ve been reading these posts. You’ve been thinking about it. Maybe you’ve even taken a few small steps—prayed a prayer, read a chapter, thought about visiting a church.
But something’s holding you back. Something’s keeping you stuck. Something’s whispering in your ear that maybe you shouldn’t, maybe you can’t, maybe it’s too late.
And if you’re honest, that “something” is usually one of three lies.
These lies are insidious. They sound true. They feel true. They’ve been on repeat in your head for so long you’ve started to believe them.
But they’re lies. And they’re keeping you from the very thing you need most: relationship with Jesus.
So today, I want to expose these lies. Name them. Dismantle them. And replace them with the truth.
Because you deserve to know the truth. And the truth will set you free.
Lie #1: “I’ve Been Gone Too Long”
This is the big one. The lie that keeps more people away than almost anything else.
“It’s been too long. I walked away years ago. I’ve been living however I wanted. God probably gave up on me by now. I missed my chance.”
Why This Lie Feels True
Because time has passed. Maybe a lot of time. Years. Decades, even.
And in our human relationships, there are limits. People get tired of waiting. They move on. They say, “I gave you enough chances. I’m done.”
So we assume God works the same way. We assume there’s an expiration date on His patience. A statute of limitations on His grace. A point where He says, “Too late. You had your chance.”
Why This Lie Is False
There is no “too long” with God.
Think about the prodigal son. We don’t know exactly how long he was gone, but we know it was long enough for him to:
- Travel to a far country
- Spend his entire inheritance
- Get a job feeding pigs
- Hit rock bottom
- Come to his senses
- Make the journey back home
That’s not a weekend trip. That’s months, maybe years.
And yet, when he finally turned toward home, the father was still watching. Still waiting. Still ready to run.
God doesn’t have a deadline.
He’s not checking His watch, wondering when you’re going to get your act together. He’s not setting arbitrary time limits on His love.
The prophet Isaiah says it this way: “The LORD longs to be gracious to you… he rises to show you compassion.” (Isaiah 30:18)
Longs. Present tense. Active waiting. Not past tense, like “He used to long for you but gave up.” Present. Right now. Today.
The Truth You Need to Believe
It’s never too late to return to Jesus.
Not after one year. Not after ten years. Not after fifty years.
The door is open today. It was open yesterday. It will be open tomorrow.
As long as you’re breathing, it’s not too late.
So stop listening to the lie that you’ve been gone too long. You haven’t. Turn around. Start walking. He’s still watching for you.
Lie #2: “I’ve Done Too Much”
This one is just as paralyzing as the first.
“You don’t understand what I’ve done. The things I’ve said. The choices I’ve made. The people I’ve hurt. God might forgive some sins, but not mine. I’ve crossed a line. I’ve gone too far.”
Why This Lie Feels True
Because you know what you’ve done. You remember the details. The specifics. The things that keep you up at night.
And some of it is bad. Really bad. Things you’re ashamed of. Things you wish you could undo. Things that hurt people, damaged relationships, or violated your own conscience.
So you think: How could God forgive this? How could He want me back after what I’ve done?
Why This Lie Is False
Your sin is not bigger than God’s grace.
I know it feels that way. But it’s not.
Think about the people Jesus welcomed:
- The woman caught in adultery (John 8) – dragged out in the middle of her sin, publicly shamed, about to be stoned. Jesus said, “Neither do I condemn you. Go and sin no more.”
- Zacchaeus (Luke 19) – a tax collector who cheated people for a living. Jesus invited Himself to dinner at his house.
- The Samaritan woman at the well (John 4) – five marriages, living with a man she wasn’t married to. Jesus offered her living water.
- Paul – literally persecuted and killed Christians before Jesus stopped him on the road to Damascus. God called him to be an apostle.
None of these people were “good enough” to approach Jesus. But Jesus approached them anyway.
The Bible is clear: “While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:8)
Not after we cleaned up our act. Not after we proved ourselves. While we were still sinners. In the middle of the mess.
The Truth You Need to Believe
There is no sin too big for God to forgive.
None. Not yours. Not anyone’s.
The only unforgivable sin is the one you refuse to bring to Jesus. The only sin beyond His grace is the one you won’t confess and turn from.
If you’re willing to come to Him, He’s willing to forgive you.
No matter what you’ve done. No matter how far you’ve gone. No matter how many times you’ve failed.
“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.” (1 John 1:9)
All. Not some. Not most. All.
So stop listening to the lie that you’ve done too much. You haven’t. Come to Jesus. Confess. Receive forgiveness. Start again.
Lie #3: “I’ll Just Fail Again”
This lie is sneaky because it masquerades as self-awareness.
“I’ve tried this before. I’ve come back to Jesus, and it didn’t stick. I got all excited, made promises, started strong—and then a few weeks later, I was right back where I started. Why bother trying again? I’ll just fail anyway.”
Why This Lie Feels True
Because you have a track record. A pattern.
You’ve been here before. You’ve made commitments before. And you’ve broken them before.
So you look at your past and think, This is just who I am. Someone who can’t stick with it. Someone who always fails. Why would this time be any different?
Why This Lie Is False
Past failure doesn’t determine future outcome.
First, let’s talk about why you failed before. Usually, it’s one (or more) of these reasons:
- You tried to do it in your own strength. You made promises, set goals, relied on willpower—and burned out.
- You came back out of guilt, not love. You were trying to prove something, not reconnecting because you genuinely wanted relationship.
- You went too hard, too fast. You tried to go from zero to sixty overnight and exhausted yourself.
- You didn’t address the reason you left in the first place. Unhealed wounds don’t stay buried. They resurface.
- You isolated yourself. You tried to do it alone instead of building community.
But here’s the thing: You can learn from past failures.
You can identify what didn’t work and do it differently this time. You can start slower. You can be more honest. You can ask for help. You can build on grace instead of guilt.
And even if you do fail again, that’s not the end of the story.
Peter denied Jesus three times. And after the resurrection, Jesus didn’t reject him. He restored him. He asked him three times, “Do you love me?” and then said, “Feed my sheep.”
God doesn’t give up on you just because you fail. He meets you in your failure and invites you to try again.
The Truth You Need to Believe
Returning to Jesus isn’t about your ability to succeed. It’s about His willingness to receive you.
Every. Single. Time.
Even if you’ve tried and failed ten times before. Even if you fail again after this. Even if the journey is messy and inconsistent and full of setbacks.
You don’t have to be perfect to return to Jesus. You just have to keep returning.
The Christian life isn’t a sprint. It’s not even a marathon. It’s a series of small, faithful steps in the direction of Jesus. And when you fall, you get back up and take another step.
“The righteous person may fall seven times, but he gets up again.” (Proverbs 24:16)
So stop listening to the lie that you’ll just fail again. Maybe you will. But that doesn’t disqualify you. It just means you’re human.
Come back anyway. Try again. And if you fail, come back again. As many times as it takes.
What to Do With These Lies
So you’ve heard the lies. You’ve heard the truth. Now what?
Step 1: Recognize When You’re Believing a Lie
Pay attention to the voice in your head that says:
- “It’s too late”
- “You’ve done too much”
- “You’ll just fail again”
That’s not God’s voice. That’s the voice of shame, fear, or the enemy trying to keep you stuck.
Step 2: Speak the Truth Out Loud
When you recognize the lie, counter it with truth:
When you hear: “I’ve been gone too long.” Speak truth: “It’s never too late. God is still waiting for me.”
When you hear: “I’ve done too much.” Speak truth: “There is no sin too big for God to forgive. Jesus died for all of it.”
When you hear: “I’ll just fail again.” Speak truth: “Past failure doesn’t disqualify me. God receives me every time I return.”
Speaking truth out loud breaks the power of the lie.
Step 3: Take One Small Step
Don’t let the lies keep you paralyzed. Take one small, faithful step:
- Pray one honest prayer: “Jesus, I want to return to You. Help me believe it’s not too late.”
- Read one chapter of Scripture.
- Reach out to one safe person and tell them you’re trying to find your way back.
- Show up to one church service.
Just one step. That’s all. The lies will tell you it’s not enough. But one step in the direction of Jesus is always enough to start.
Step 4: Keep Coming Back
When the lies resurface (and they will), keep countering them with truth. Keep taking steps. Keep returning.
The goal isn’t to silence the lies forever. The goal is to stop letting them control you.
They’ll whisper. And you’ll speak truth louder.
They’ll try to hold you back. And you’ll take another step forward anyway.
That’s what faith looks like. Not the absence of doubt or fear or lies, but the decision to keep moving toward Jesus in spite of them.
The Invitation
So here’s what I want to say to you:
Stop believing the lies.
It’s not too late. You haven’t done too much. You won’t necessarily fail again—and even if you do, that doesn’t disqualify you.
Those are lies designed to keep you away from the One who loves you most.
And Jesus? He’s been waiting for you. Not with anger or disappointment or conditions. With open arms. With grace. With love that doesn’t depend on how long you’ve been gone, what you’ve done, or how many times you’ve tried and failed.
He just wants you back.
So stop listening to the lies. Start believing the truth.
And take one step toward Him. Today.
That’s all it takes. One step. And He’ll meet you there.
Every. Single. Time.
Which of these three lies has been keeping you stuck? What truth do you need to hold onto today? I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments.
