Latest / Jo Watson: Unfiltered Faith / Returning To My First Love
Transcript
- Jo Watson: Welcome back to Unfiltered Faith. I'm Joe Watson and it's time to breathe. Time to slow down. Time to let your shoulders drop and time to step into the sanctuary. Not the sanctuary we're all so familiar with, but the one that God is building inside you. Today, I want to speak directly to the heart of someone who wrote in with a message that carries the weight of return, the weight of restoration, and the weight of rediscovery. There is something sacred about hearing someone say, I'm finding my way back to God. It reminds us that no matter how far we wander, grace has a way of reaching us. Gently, steadily, faithfully. Before we go any further, I want to honor the listener who sent this beautiful note. Your words carry the sound of someone awakening again. Someone remembering the voice of their first love. Here is their letter. Dear Dr. Watson, because of this podcast, I'm praying again, seeking God again, and trusting Him again. Because of you, I'm finding my way back to God, and for that I'm truly grateful. Thank you for being real and allowing God to use your voice. Signed, Finding My Way Back to My First Love. To finding my way back to my first love, thank you for your letter. And thank you for feeling like this is a safe place for you. Your letter is a testimony, not to me, not to this podcast, but a testimony to the God who loves you and never stopped pursuing you. You didn't find your way back because of me. You found your way back because our God never left you. You found your way back because his spirit kept tugging at your heart, even in the quiet places where you weren't sure what you believed anymore. You found your way back because Jesus is the shepherd who goes after the one, and you were the one he refused to lose. Scripture says in Psalms chapter one hundred forty five verse eighteen, The Lord is near to all who call on him. And Malachi chapter three verse seven says Return to me and I will return to you. And then Psalm chapter seventy three verse twenty three says, Nevertheless I am continually with you, you hold me by my right hand. You didn't just come back. You responded to the God who was already holding you. And I want you to hear this clearly. Your return is evidence of his love, not your failure. Your questions didn't disqualify you. Your distance didn't diminish you. Your silence didn't separate you. You are loved. You are seen, and you are welcomed home. To everyone listening, some of us are exactly where this listener was. We love God, but we felt disconnected. We pray, but we wonder if He hears us. We worship, but we feel numb, or we serve, but we're tired. But let me say this, you can be honest with God and still be held by God. You can question and still be chosen. You can struggle and still be loved. You can wander and still be wanted. Jesus said in Matthew chapter 11, verse 28, Come to me all who are weary and burdened, and I will give you. And in John chapter 10, verse 27, he said, My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. So if you're listening today and you feel far away, you are one whisper, one breath, one moment of surrender away from feeling him again. God has not moved. He has not changed. He has not withdrawn his love. You can come home right now, right here in this moment. I want to stop right here and pray for this listener and anyone who is feeling distant or discouraged. Father, I lift up every listener who feels distant, who feels discouraged. Or who feels disconnected. Let your presence wrap around them like a warm mantle. Remind them that your love is not fragile, your patience is not thin, and your mercy is not limited. Restore the joy of their salvation. Reignite their prayer life. Renew their hunger for your word. And let them feel the tenderness of your voice, calling them back to the place where love began. In Christ Jesus' name, amen. To someone listening today, you are stepping into a season of return, a season of rekindled fire, a season where God restores what distance tried to steal. Your ears will open again, your heart will soften again, your spirit will awaken again, and you will know deeply, undeniably, that your first love never stopped loving. Family, thank you for being here. Thank you for listening. Thank you for showing up with your real stories, your real struggles, and your real faith. And to the one who wrote this letter, your testimony is going to help someone else find their way back to. So hold on to him because he's holding on to you. And if you're carrying a weight that feels too heavy to hold, please remember that this podcast is not a substitute for professional therapy or pastoral care. Reach out and get the support you need. You deserve that kind of care. And if you would like to send in a question or share a story with unfiltered faith, You can reach us at Joe at Unfiltered Faithpod.com. We would love to hear from you. Your testimonies and your experiences matter. They help others grow, they encourage weary hearts, and they draw people closer to Jesus. Until next time, Family Unfiltered Faith, God is moving, so stay ready. And to God be the glory.