Come Back to God Again and Again

During this Lenten season, I have found myself reflecting on the idea of beginning again. Lent invites us into a rhythm of consistency, returning to prayer, reflection, and repentance day after day. Faith may be born in a single dramatic moment, but a faith that is unwavering in the hardest of times requires something extraordinary. More often than not, it is formed through the quiet and faithful decision to come back to God again and again, trusting that His grace meets us each time we return.
 
That rhythm of returning has caused me to reflect on the journey that brought me here. I grew up in a family that carried the weight of poverty, addiction, and brokenness. Those realities leave marks on a person, and for a long time I carried many of those burdens with me. Looking back now, I can see how easily my life could have followed the same paths that shaped the generations before me. Yet through God’s provision and the people He placed in my life, those patterns did not have the final word. Over time, the Lord began the slow and faithful work of breaking cycles and making a new path forward. What once felt like generational curses slowly became opportunities for healing and redemption.

Along that journey there were seasons when the road felt especially dark. There were moments when my daughter was on the brink of death, times when fear and uncertainty felt almost unbearable. In those moments, God’s presence sometimes felt like a small candle in a dark, dark room. The light did not always remove the darkness immediately, but it reminded me that I was not alone. That small flame was enough to point me toward hope and to remind me of God’s steadfast presence, even when the path ahead was difficult to see.
 
Experiences like these are why the message of Lent feels so meaningful to me. Lent reminds us that faith is not about having everything perfectly figured out. Instead, it is about continually returning to the One who is already reaching toward us. Recently Rev. Jennie said something that has stayed with me: “God has already done all the heavy lifting.” Those words capture the heart of the Gospel. The grace, mercy, love, and peace we long for are not things we must earn. They are gifts already given through Christ.
 
Because of that truth, no matter where you find yourself today or what circumstances surround you, the invitation remains the same. We are always invited to begin again. God’s grace meets us right where we are, and His faithfulness carries us further than we could ever go on our own.
 
It is my prayer that during this Lenten journey you would experience that truth deeply, and that the God who has been faithful before will continue to walk with you now.
 
Grace and peace,  
Chance Passmore
Modern Worship Leader