Whenever troubles surround us from others, the cause may not be others. Perhaps the cause is our sins. And then the saying of the Lord rings in our ears:

“Return to Me, and I will return to you” (Malachi 3:7).

At times, troubles are a form of the withdrawal of divine grace…

A person sins, grace withdraws from him, and God delivers him into the hands of his enemies, and troubles befall him. Such a person—how is his salvation? It is by the Lord’s saying: “Return to Me, and I will return to you.”

If this person returns to God, and grace surrounds him as it was before, then no evil can overcome him, and no man can prevail against him.

Let us see examples of these matters in the Book of Judges, in the Old Testament:

“The children of Israel did evil in the sight of the Lord, and served the Baals… they forsook the Lord their God and followed other gods.” What happened then?

“The anger of the Lord was kindled… so He delivered them into the hands of plunderers who plundered them. And He sold them into the hands of their enemies. Wherever they went out, the hand of the Lord was against them for evil” (Judg. 2:11–15).

They could not stand before their enemies, because grace had withdrawn. Because divine help had ceased; the hand of God was not with them…

God, who split the Red Sea for them, and brought forth water from the rock, and drove out nations before them, is not with them now… He says: “Because this people have transgressed My covenant… I will no longer drive out before them any of the nations” (Judg. 2:20–21).

Do not say then: my enemies are stronger than I, and they have prevailed against me. Rather say: I have departed from God, so He departed from me, and His grace withdrew… Return to God, and He will return to you, and strength will return to you. Then you will become “a fortified city, an iron pillar, and bronze walls… they will fight against you, but they shall not prevail against you, for the Lord is with you” (Jer. 1:18–19).

Thus the matter centers on how to bring God into the battle, how to return to Him so that He may return to you—with His promises, His hosts, and His power—and lead you in the procession of His victory.

Also see what the Scripture says: “They did evil in the sight of the Lord. So the anger of the Lord burned against them, and He sold them into the hand of Cushan”… and they cried out to the Lord, and He raised up a deliverer who delivered them… “the Spirit of the Lord came upon him… and the Lord delivered Cushan into his hand… and the land had rest forty years” (Judg. 3)… “And the children of Israel again did evil in the sight of the Lord, so the Lord strengthened Eglon king of Moab against them”… “And again they did evil in the sight of the Lord… so He sold them into the hand of Jabin king of Canaan”… and the story continues in this manner.

Does the Lord deliver people into the hands of their enemies? Yes, as a form of discipline so that they may return to Him.

The distress intensifies upon them, so they cry out to the Lord, and He says to them: “Return to Me, and I will return to you.” The same situation occurred when the Lord delivered them into the captivity of Assyria and into the captivity of Babylon… so they wept by the rivers of Babylon and said: “How shall we sing the Lord’s song in a foreign land?” And in the captivity, Daniel, the three young men, Ezekiel, and Zerubbabel lived with the Lord… they returned to Him, and He returned to them, and the Lord restored the captivity of Zion.

The same situation we see in the books of Nehemiah and Ezra…

A man came from Judah to Nehemiah and told him that “the remnant of the people are in great distress and reproach, the wall of Jerusalem is broken down, and its gates are burned with fire.” Then Nehemiah knew that the remedy for this reproach is in the Lord’s saying: “Return to Me, and I will return to you.”

Nehemiah says: “When I heard these words, I sat down and wept, and mourned for days; I was fasting and praying… and I said: ‘O Lord… let Your ear be attentive and Your eyes open to the prayer of Your servant… for I and my father’s house have sinned; we have acted corruptly against You…’” And Nehemiah returned to the Lord, and brought the people back, and built the walls of Jerusalem, and the Lord prospered him.

And this happened with Ezra, when he found that the people had sinned and “the holy seed has mixed with the peoples of the lands,” he says: “When I heard this matter, I tore my garment… and sat astonished… and at the evening sacrifice I arose from my humiliation… and knelt on my knees and spread out my hands to the Lord my God and said: ‘O my God, I am ashamed and blush to lift my face to You, for our iniquities have risen higher than our heads…’” And when Ezra returned with the people, the Lord returned to them. Ezra fasted and wept; he did not eat bread nor drink wine, nor anoint himself, but humbled himself… so the Lord returned and forgave…

Do not think that distress is always caused from outside. Perhaps the cause is from within. For if the heart were lifted to God in repentance and contrition, it would work wonders and turn defeat into victory.

When the people of Nineveh returned to God, He lifted His غضب from them. And in the Book of Deuteronomy, we see defeat as a punishment from God for those who violate His commandments, as He says: “The Lord shall cause you to be defeated before your enemies… you shall go out one way against them and flee seven ways before them… and you shall be only oppressed and crushed continually, and no one shall save you” (Deut. 28:25–29).

Thus, there are troubles that come because of sins, and they disappear by returning to God. If you are in distress, think first how to return to God before you think about what those around you are causing you.

Say: if my relationship with God is corrected, everything outside will be corrected. Even the fiercest enemies cannot withstand a pure heart lifted to God, and hands stretched out before Him. When Moses lifted his hands, the people prevailed over Amalek…

When the sinful world was drowned in the flood, and Noah returned to the image of God, God returned to him and restored to him the blessing given to Adam—the authority over nature—so he lived with wild animals and they did not harm him.

If a person is reconciled with God, heaven and earth are reconciled with him, and he walks on water as Peter did when the Lord held his hand.

By many means God seeks to reconcile with you, including these troubles that befall you. Their cause is not the strength of people, but that God wants you to return to Him…

The most important question you ask yourself in distress is:

Am I in grace or not? Do I have God’s help as before, or has it departed from me? Is my heart in its purity? Am I reconciled with God, or do I need to return to Him?

The turning point in your life for grace to return to you in all its power is the Lord’s saying: “Return to Me, and I will return to you.”

Our relationship is with God first and last; as for our relationship with people, they are all secondary relationships dependent on our relationship with God.

If the children of God are now like the children of men in the same form, conduct, and falls, then let us bear all that comes upon us…

The Church is the light of the world, an example in every virtue, and a testimony to the name of Christ…

And if we return to God… what will happen?

He will shepherd us in green pastures, restore our souls, lead us in paths of righteousness… we will sing to Him saying: “Though an army encamp against me, my heart shall not fear… though war rise against me, in this I will be confident… our soul has escaped as a bird from the snare of the fowlers; the snare is broken, and we have escaped. Our help is in the name of the Lord, who made heaven and earth.”

If you return to God, you will feel grace filling your heart, you will feel strength within you, and you will see the word of God in you living, powerful, and effective, and like a two-edged sword. Then God renews your youth like the eagle, and the image of God returns to you.

It is a call to repentance, and a call to return to God—not only for your own sake, but for the sake of the whole Church.

When Jonah sinned, the sea raged, and the whole ship was troubled. And Achan the son of Carmi was the cause of the defeat of all the people… So say to yourself: did my sin cause God’s anger upon all? The solution then is the phrase: “Return to Me, and I will return to you.”

What does the Lord’s saying mean: “I will return to you”?

It means that He returns with all His love and tenderness, with all power and blessing, with all His promises, with the old fellowship and friendship, walking in the midst of His people, holding the helm of the ship and steering it with His right hand that made power.

It means: I reconcile with you. I do not leave you alone like sheep among wolves, but I return to you as the Shepherd of your souls.

“Oh Lord, return to us, that we may be restored.” I am ready, but you have a role: “Return to Me, and I will return to you.”

I do not force you to love Me. And also I cannot dwell in the camp while sin is within it. Return to Me in repentance, give Me your hearts so that I may wash them and make them whiter than snow. Then they become fit for My dwelling. I will blow upon the smoking flax, bind up the bruised reed, give you My power, and you will become something else.

An article by His Holiness Pope Shenouda III – in El-Keraza Magazine – Year Eight (Issue Thirty-Four), 26-8-1977

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