I think we often think that God is upset at us or mad at us and that we need to come back to God

so that we can please him and we forget about the reality that coming back to God is for the good of our own soul.

And yes, life is hard. We know that from John 1633. In this world, there will be trouble. But we also know that

he has overcome the world and that we can have life and life in the full. And that's not just

the life that we will have in heaven, which will be our best life, our completed life, all of those

things. But the life that he's called us to here can have a measure of abundance as well.

At the Coffee and Bible Time podcast, our goal is to help you delight in God's Word and thrive

in Christian living. Each week, we talk to subject matter experts who broaden your biblical

understanding, encourage you in hard times,

and provide life-building tips to enhance your Christian walk.

We are so glad you have joined us.

Welcome back to the Coffee and Bible Time podcast.

I'm Ellen, your host.

And today we're talking about returning to wholehearted faith when comfort, control, or spiritual weariness have

quietly pulled us away from God. Sometimes it's the small things, busyness, distractions,

or trying to hold everything together ourselves that slowly

create distance in our relationship with him. But throughout scripture, we see that God is always

calling his people back. In the parable of the prodigal son, we see the father's love for both the

son who left and the one who stayed home

and his open invitation for both of them to come back to him when their hearts are distant.

Our guest today is Lisa Whittle. Lisa is a Bible teacher, ministry leader, and host of Jesus

Over Everything podcast. As a pastor's daughter and someone who has spent

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