If you were to take a survey about your life, how would you rate it: Poor, Fair, Good, or Great? Sometimes it’s hard not to wonder if we could do better. The story of the prodigal son is all about one person’s decision to leave home and do things his way because he believed he could do better on his own than in the safety and protection of his father’s house. And it’s a picture of how merciful God is to us; even when we decide to stray far from Him, He’s always watching and waiting with open arms to welcome us home.

Staying close to God and distancing ourselves from God are both choices that we make. But sometimes, the shame, guilt, and hopelessness that stem from our actions and their consequences are specifically designed by the enemy to keep us from feeling like we can draw near to God. As believers, we can call on Him, knowing He cares for us, and He’ll answer in times of trouble — and no matter how far we stray from Him, we’re never too far to come back home.

If we’ve been trying to live our own way and do our own thing, it’s time to give Jesus a second look and consider what He offers us. When we take a step back and evaluate our choices, we’re able to see more clearly that life doesn’t turn out as well when we take charge as it does when we surrender to God. The story of the prodigal son reminds us that the Father is always inviting us to return to Him — and when we do, He’s waiting to welcome us with open arms.

It’s one thing to pray for someone to come to a place of repentance towards God and to turn their life around. It’s another thing to pray as if we’re expecting to actually happen. Let’s believe for heart transformation and be like the father of the prodigal son, ready to party as we welcome them home!

The story of the Prodigal Son is a beautiful illustration of God, the Father, anxiously waiting for us to come home to Him, no matter where we’ve been or what we’ve done. Nothing we do can ever keep Him from loving us and accepting us as His children. His love for us far exceeds our sin — and He longs for us to return to Him.

Just like in the story of the prodigal son, God is waiting for us to come back to Him. And often, He allows the pain in our lives to bring us back. No matter how many mistakes we’ve made, He’s promised to restore all that’s broken if we only return to Him!