The Bible doesn’t mention how long the son stayed in the foreign land. However, if you’re an average person who isn’t working and starts spending money on yourself and your friends, it won’t take long before you run out of money. It’s a familiar story—how he reached a point where all he needed was food to survive, to the extent that he even longed to eat the pods the pigs were eating.
That was his lowest point. Only then did he remember his father and how even the servants in his father’s house had more than enough to eat, with plenty leftover. The story of the prodigal son teaches us two crucial lessons.
The first thing that came to his mind was his father’s loving, generous, and kind heart. The memory of his father’s overflowing generosity—even toward the servants—led him to believe he would be merciful.
The second lesson is that the Prodigal Son didn’t just reflect on his situation—he took action. His clothes were filthy from living among the pigs. If he couldn’t afford food, it’s unlikely he could afford new clothes to meet his father. But that didn’t stop him.
Take Action; Don’t Delay
There is every reason to reach out to our heavenly Father right now. At this very moment, His door is wide open. He will listen without judging you by the dirt on your clothes or the odor of your past. All He sees is your heart.
“The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit, a broken and contrite heart—these, O God, You will not despise” (Psalm 51:17).
Too often we fall into the trap of thinking we must fight our temptations on our own, believing that God will reward us only when we earn His help through relentless resistance. This is exactly how Satan deceives us—by using our own egos to convince us that self-sufficiency is the key to divine assistance. But the truth is this: God will help you if you resist temptation. However, His help does not come by our strength alone. To experience the easy yoke He promises, we must follow the example of the Prodigal Son—simply throw yourself into His loving arms; pour out your complaints and share your heart with Him. Then you will find solace just as David declared:
For in the time of trouble, He shall hide me in His pavilion; in the secret place of His tabernacle, He shall hide me; He shall set me high upon a rock. And now my head shall be lifted up above my enemies all around me; therefore I will offer sacrifices of joy in His tabernacle; I will sing, yes, I will sing praises to the Lord. (Psalm 27:5-6)
No obstacle can prevent you from speaking with our heavenly Father NOW. He hears the beating of your heart. He promised never to turn away anyone who comes to Him:
“In an acceptable time I have heard you, and in the day of salvation I have helped you. Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation. As it is written: “We give no offense in anything, that our ministry may not be blamed” (2 Corinthians 6:2-3).
If any church member makes it difficult for you to return, please do not let that discourage you. The church is meant to be a reflection of Jesus’ teachings—beautiful, welcoming, and full of grace. Though some may impose their own rules and interpretations, remember that Jesus’ door is open to every humble soul without conditions:
“…The one who comes to Me I will by no means cast out ”
(John 6:37).
The Father
Now, look at the father. Despite the Prodigal Son’s decision to leave his father’s house, the father never stopped watching the road, expecting the day his son would return. He knew his son would be filled with shame, fearing that his emotions might cause him to turn back upon seeing his father’s house.
The father worried that his son might think he no longer loved him, and that this rejection might keep him away. Yet, this loving father remained vigilant, watching every day in the hope of his son’s return.
We all have the courage to take positive steps—like attending church, joining a therapy group, or finding an accountability partner. It’s a good thing. However, when we actually set out for our appointments, we sometimes hesitate and question if we’re making the right decision. This doubt can lead us to return to our unhappy lives because we couldn’t take that one crucial step to meet someone who could make a difference.
In this parable, the father saw his son coming from a distance. That was all he needed—a sign that his son wanted to return to his arms. He saw his son, dragging his bare feet in dirty clothes, walking toward him. To encourage him, the father ran to his son and embraced him, ignoring his appearance and the smell of his clothes.
“And he arose and came to his father. But when he was still a great way off, his father saw him and had compassion, and ran and fell on his neck and kissed him. And the son said to him, Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight, and am no longer worthy to be called your son” (Luke 15:20-21)
When the son finally met his father, he didn’t say what he had planned. At his rock bottom, he had considered saying, “Make me like one of your hired servants” However, upon meeting his father, he couldn’t bring himself to speak those last words.
Perhaps it was because, at that moment, he sobbed on his father’s shoulder. Maybe he saw the overwhelming love his father still had for him and believed that he was worth more than being treated as a servant. We can’t be certain, but what we do know is that he never said it. This teaches us that our loving God looks at the heart and expects only a sincere desire to return to Him. He doesn’t care about the eloquence of our words; all He cares about is our genuine willingness to come back.
“I, even I, am He who blots out your transgressions for My own sake; And I will not remember your sins” (Isaiah 43:25).
If you understand this, returning to Him and seeking His presence becomes easier. He wants to forgive your sins for His own sake—it’s not about what you do to earn forgiveness. He simply desires to bless and forgive you. Yet, too often, we turn our backs on Him. This parable is amazing because it illustrates God’s love and the transformation of a lost son into a found one.
The Older Brother
The older brother lived his whole life in his father’s house, but he did so as a servant. He worked hard, seeking his father’s acceptance. In his own words, he said:
These many years I have been serving you; I never transgressed your commandment at any time; and yet you never gave me a young goat, that I might make merry with my friends. But as soon as this son of yours came, who has devoured your livelihood with harlots, you killed the fatted calf for him.’!(Luke 15:29-30)
This account illustrates the paradox of being close to God yet feeling distant from Him. The older brother always felt like a servant, believing that by dutifully carrying out tasks for his father, he could earn love or a reward. Meanwhile, his father gave him everything, saying, “Son, you are always with me, and everything I have belongs to you.” Despite being entitled to his father’s wealth, the older brother refused to accept any of it. Had he truly understood his father’s heart, he could have asked for what he needed or desired—but he remained a servant. He saw his father as a master, and his fear of upsetting him prevented him from taking anything.
We all come from different backgrounds, and for some, the perception of a father may resemble that of the older brother. Perhaps your earthly father was abusive or overly strict, which could be a reason you struggle with issues like pornography. You might have sought approval from someone who never truly cared, and in your struggles, you may have felt abandoned by God—just as the older brother felt toward his father.
Truth or Emotions
This does not mean that our heavenly Father is like that. We need to distinguish between truth and our emotions. Feelings can deceive us, as our subconscious controls what we feel, even when the truth is the opposite.
What is the alternative? Taking one step toward the truth—and toward God, who proclaimed Himself as the truth and the life—will cause Him to take several steps toward you. This journey transforms the unknown into something familiar, letting the light shine in the darkness. It is said that light does not combine with darkness; instead, light expels darkness. Your heart will only find peace when you understand that victory is guaranteed as long as God’s hand guides you.
He is faithful until the end, echoing once again, “Son, you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours.”
My fellow fighter, our heavenly Father is not a judge waiting to condemn our souls, nor a strict master bound by a set of commandments. He is so much more than that. He is patient, loving, and never holds our sins against us:
He has not dealt with us according to our sins, nor punished us according to our iniquities. For as the heavens are high above the earth, so great is His mercy toward those who fear Him; as far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us. (Psalm 103:10-13)
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