For almost 20 years, I have been teaching Bible studies, and for the last 10 years, mentoring incarcerated women who are seeking to know truth and rebuild their lives with the help of Jesus. When they first meet with me, they are often desperate. They tell me they have messed up their lives so badly that the only way to find true freedom is by turning their lives completely over to Jesus.

Fascinated by their conviction, I ask them, “Why? Why do you think Jesus is the answer to your problems?” The typical response is something like this: “I grew up in church, but when I got to high school, I got mixed up with the wrong crowd. My mother (or grandmother) took me to church and has always prayed for me. I now know I should have listened to them.”

Hindsight is always 20/20, isn’t it? We make choices—even ones that seem good at the time—only to find ourselves in a place we never wanted to be. This is just like the parable of the prodigal son in Luke 15:11–32. The youngest son ends up in a pigpen one day and having to face the consequences of making a series of bad choices, decides to return home, where his father has long been awaiting his return. We turn away from God, and once we realize we’re not where we wanted to be, we can return to Him, repent, and ask Him to help us rebuild our lives.

God watches patiently as we try to run our own lives, until the day we finally see that we need Him—and have needed Him all along. He embraces us, welcomes us back into His loving arms, without condemnation for what we have done.

I love this story, and I love how the incarcerated women I mentor see themselves in this story too. Is that your story? If you think it is, God wants you to come back. He is waiting patiently for your return. So how do we actually return to God?

The Bible makes it clear that the path begins with honest repentance—a heartfelt turning away from sin and turning toward Him. As Acts 3:19 says, “Repent therefore, and turn back, that your sins may be blotted out, that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord.”

This isn’t just feeling sorry; it’s a deliberate change of direction. Start by confessing your sins to God openly—no excuses, no hiding. He promises in 1 John 1:9 that if we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

Humble yourself, pray, seek His face, and turn from whatever has pulled you away, as 2 Chronicles 7:14 assures us: God will hear from heaven, forgive, and bring healing and restoration.

Practically, this looks like daily steps of reconnection: Spend time in Scripture to hear His voice again, pray honestly (even if it starts as a simple cry for help), and surround yourself with a supportive faith community that encourages you. Worship Him, not just in songs but in a posture of surrender.

God isn’t distant or angry—He is gracious, compassionate, and slow to anger, as Joel 2:13 describes, “When we return to Him with our whole heart, He doesn’t just forgive; He restores what was lost, refreshes our spirit, and welcomes us home with joy.”

No matter how far you’ve wandered, the Father is standing by, arms open, ready to run to you. That kind of love is worth everything you have to run away from, give up, or let go of in this world.