Not every Christian has a strong enough faith to resist any kind of temptation. Isn't this one of the reasons why we became believers in the first place? Because we know that we can't traverse through life alone and we need Christ to help us out? However, God can only do so much for us. The Lord does His part, and we should do ours. But, what happens when we fail to do our part? What if you fall away from God? Can you return to Him? How can you do that?

Just return to Him

When you backslide or fall away, this means you made a conscious decision to wander away from God. Of course, your decision dishonors God and it hurts Him, but He will not condemn you for it. God is our Father, and He loves His children so much. As long as you return to Him and confess your sins, God's arms are wide open to accept you and forgive you.

You can find inspiration in one of the stories in Luke, "The Parable of the Lost Son." There was a son who took off with all the money he got from his father. But the moment he squandered all his money, he no longer had anything to eat. It made him realize that he sinned against God and his father, so he returned.

But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion for him, and ran and embraced him and kissed him. - Luke 15:20

After the son confessed his sin, the father ordered the slaves to do this:

Quickly bring out the best robe and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand and sandals on his feet; and bring the fattened calf, kill it, and let us eat and celebrate; for this son of mine was dead and has come to life again; he was lost and has been found. - Luke 15:22-24

This is the same love God shows each and every one of us. If you've fallen away, just come back to His arms. He will not rebuke you.

Let go of the guilt

One of the reasons why many Christians who have fallen away stay that way is because they feel ashamed to return to the Lord. There are feelings of guilt and shame in knowing that you let sin deceive you. This feeling of guilt is a big factor in stopping a Christian to return to God's arms. Thus, if you've backslidden, let go of the guilt and don't let it hold you back. James 4:8 says:

Draw near to God and He will draw near to you.

The devil will do everything he can to break your relationship with Christ. He was successful in making you fall away. And now that you want to return, he is giving you another reason not to – shame and guilt. However, you must know better now than to believe these feelings, and instead, hold on to God's promise.

Believe in the Lord's mercy and promise

If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 1 John 1:9

This is the Lord's promise. And if you believe God's mercy, you won't have a problem believing that God will fulfil this promise. The moment you confess your sins and ask for forgiveness, He will cleanse you and open the doors to have fellowship with Him again. That's not all, the Holy Spirit will also heal your soul.

Man is frail and vulnerable. Falling away from the Lord happens when you do not guard your heart and when you don't protect your personal relationship with the Lord. When your mind and heart aren't focused on Him, the devil can easily find a way to destroy that focus more. Proverbs 4:23 says, "Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life." Keep this verse in mind and be aware of the devil's schemes. Let the Holy Spirit lead your life and you'll never fall away from God.