Giving others a second chance is often an act of grace or undeserved love. Will God give me a second chance? You may have received a second chance or were impacted by someone who had.
God called Jonah to evangelize the people of Nineveh, and he decided to board a ship and sail in the opposite direction. The Lord sent a storm, and Jonah was tossed into the sea by the crew when he admitted he was the cause of the storm. Just as quickly as the sailors threw Jonah into the water, a great fish swallowed him. But that was not the end. Jonah 2:10 And the Lord spoke to the fish, and it vomited out Jonah upon the dry land. [1]
God Gives Second Chances
The book of Hebrews chapter eleven is called the faith chapter of the Bible and includes people who received second chances. Our heroes of faith were far from perfect and often failed, but God still used them in unique ways. When you think the Lord will not give you a second chance, consider these important people of the Bible.
Abraham, the father of the Israelites, lied twice about Sarah being his wife because he lacked faith. Abraham’s wife Sara laughed when the Lord said she would have a baby in her old age. Noah got drunk. Samson was highly immoral. Gideon was afraid. King David was a murderer and adulterer. The disciples fell asleep when they were to keep watch while Jesus prayed in the Garden of Gethsemane. Peter denied Jesus three times. These heroes of faith all failed, but the Lord gave them a second chance.
Joseph Gives His Brothers a Second Chance
Joseph’s brothers had sold him into slavery, but when they came to purchase grain from him many years later, he was not a slave but the number two ruler in Egypt. In an act of grace, Joseph gives them a second chance to show they have changed. Through a time of testing by Joseph, his brothers show they have changed and are not who they once were.
Each day believers all over the world fall short and mess up. Perhaps you need a second chance in your life. Maybe you had a lapse in faith or judgment. Peter denied Jesus and was restored and given a second chance. Jonah ran from God, and God got his attention with a big fish. Following this brief detour, Jonah was given a second chance and obeyed the Lord’s second call.
Maybe you think you have failed to the point the Lord would not give you a second chance. Respond to God’s call of repentance, get back up with His help, and try again. God is all about giving second chances. I know as I speak from personal experience!
Will God give me a second chance? To learn more, listen here:
https://podpoint.com/light-of-christ-church-podcast/brothers-grow-in-faith
[1] The Revised Standard Version (Jon 2:10). (1971). Logos Research Systems, Inc.