Being Hunted Down

Just the other day I sat with a man who has been struggling with numerous vices in his life. He really wants to leave the life of sin, but he just can’t shake it off. He just can’t walk away from the things that have gripped his life for so long.

As we sat together to talk and to pray, he said something to me with lots of frustration in his face: “Pastor, God is after me. He won’t let me go. I feel like I am being hunted down by him. Why is he doing this? What does he want from me?”

The book of Job recognizes that God reaches out much further than we can imagine. His “light” shines and searches out much beyond anyone’s reach (Job 25:2 ESV). Thus no one is beyond God’s reach nor His sight.

The Holy Spirit indwells the believer and works as a “counselor.” It is his job to convict the world regarding sin, righteousness, and the coming judgment. So, as a child of God, no wonder we feel guilty as soon as we are about to sin. Yes, it is as if we are being hunted down by God.

It is all part of God’s massive plan of ongoing redemption in our lives. So, once he finds us guilty, what does he do? Does he condemn us? Or, is his plan to destroy us? Neither. He gently leads us to the right path by his mercy and love.

But some of us are more stubborn than others and continue in our own ways of sin. Then, God understands that the pain of remaining in sin is greater than the pain of correction. So he decides to correct us with his love and a strong hand. He continues this process of correction throughout our lives. It’s a process of fine-tuning our hearts to line up with his standards. I suppose that process takes an entire lifetime. Then by the time he takes us home, or as he takes us home, he completes that process.

Until then, we continue to feel like he is hunting us down. Yes he is. But not in anger to destroy us, but in love to re-align us according to his will and plan for us.

Do you feel like you’re being hunted down?

Share your experience in the comments section of this blog.

Photo by indi.ca, Creative Commons license.