backsliding.

6 You have rejected me," declares the LORD.
"You keep on backsliding.
So I will lay hands on you and destroy you;
I can no longer show compassion. (Jeremiah 15)

We cannot take God's grace for granted; there will be judgment and consequences for our shame. We can't keep sinning with a confident expectancy that God will pull us out, dust us off, and allow us to fall back into the mire. It doesn't work that way. His grace is without bound, but our hearts are breakable, easily damaged, quickly marred and mutilated. We cannot really believe that we can endure the wounds of sinful behaviors and not grow weak and thin from such a lifestyle. There will come a day when our hearts will fail...a day when God can no longer show us compassion because we have chosen to reject Him fully...completely...and tragically.

We need to bind our hearts, our ways, our will to His heart, His ways, and His will. God will never fail to show those who follow Him compassion. He will even pour His love out on those who don't follow Him right now. He forgives; He shows grace and mercy, but we have to remember that we, as humans, are falliable...corruptible...and powerless to save ourselves. We can depend on Him, but we surely can't depend on ourselves. And to be denied God's compassion because we have chosen that path is a very sad, sad, sad thing.