Is God Calling You to More? Can You Trust Him?

This article was written by Dan Hitz, the director of Reconciliation Ministries of Michigan, Inc. He is a Licensed Professional Counselor in the State of Michigan specializing in helping men and women overcome sexual brokenness, sexual abuse recovery, and trauma. More articles and testimonies of overcomers are available on the Reconciliation Ministries website at https://recmin.org/newsletter-archives.

It was by faith that Abraham obeyed when God called him to leave home and go to another land that God would give him as his inheritance. He went without knowing where he was going. And even when he reached the land God promised him, he lived there by faith – for he was like a foreigner, living in tents.

Hebrews 11:8-9a NLT

Can you relate to Abraham – or Abram in his old life? You may have been perfectly content living your life when God called to you something deeper. Or maybe you weren’t content. Maybe you felt trapped by self destructive habits or the effects of abuse and didn’t see any way out. Maybe you can relate to Paul’s question in Romans 7:24, “Oh, what a miserable person I am! Who will free me from this life that is dominated by sin?” Is God in His mercy is calling you to leave the familiar and take a journey of trust into a deeper life in Him?

Sometimes in our journey, it’s not uncommon to wonder if God really cares. If I give up the familiarity of my gay identity and surrender my sexuality to Him, will He really come through with something better? If I give up my escape of pornography and sexual addiction, will He really help me cope with the pain that I’m avoiding? Maybe you’re afraid to leave an abusive relationship. Being humiliated and hurt everyday seems like an acceptable price to pay when you’ve been convinced that you’ll never be able to make it on your own. No one else seems to care about you. Does God?

The truth is that God does care. He won’t turn anyone away who comes to Him for help. He didn’t condemn the woman caught in adultery [John 8:1-11]. The Samaritan woman at the well was rejected by the community, but Jesus showed her love and compassion. He revealed Himself to her as the Messiah and gave her the honor of evangelizing the community [John 4:1-42]. Tax collectors were hated by the Jews, but Jesus called Matthew the tax collector to follow Him. Jesus didn’t reject sinners who came to Him for help. He showed them mercy. He was willing to endure the angst of the religious leaders who berated Him for having dinner at Matthew’s house with “his fellow tax collectors and many other notorious sinners” [Mark 2:15]. Jesus revealed His heart to “set the captive free” [Luke 4:18] when He told the angry leaders, “Healthy people don’t need a doctor – sick people do. I have come to call sinners, not those who think they are already good enough.” [Mark 2:17]

The truth is, Jesus IS WILLING to help anyone who comes to Him. Yes, He does call us to leave our old life of sin, yet He also offers to give us a new life full of hope and transformation. He has so much better for us. Even if you’re struggling with habitual sin, He still loves you. Romans 5:6 acknowledges that we were “utterly helpless” to overcome our sin. Jesus didn’t die for us because we were wonderful. He died for us because we were a complete mess and had no hope of saving ourselves. Jesus was willing to die for us in our weakest, most sinful state [Romans 5:6-9]. Through His death and resurrection, He broke the power of sin over us. He made a way for us to find freedom from our own sin, and healing from the effects of the sins that others have committed against us.

Maybe you’re thinking that you’ve already tried coming to Jesus a billion times and still you’re stuck in the same sin. Come to Him the billionth and one time. Romans 5:10 encourages us that since Jesus died for us while we were His enemy, He will surely receive us who come to Him surrendered to His mercy. The same Jesus who told His disciples to forgive those who come to them seven times seventy times [Matthew 18:21-22], will surely forgive you. Overcoming is a process. It takes time. Trust Jesus to fulfill His promises to put His laws in our minds so that we can understand them, and write them on our hearts so we will obey them [Hebrews 8:10]. No matter how many times you’ve tried and failed, you can find hope in the promise that He who began a good work in you will be faithful to complete it [Philippians 1:6].

If you’re struggling with sexual sin, the effects of abuse, or are trapped in an abusive relationship, Reconciliation Ministries is here to help. You don’t have to take this journey alone. Our trained caregivers know what it’s like to struggle, and we also know what it’s like to find healing and peace through the grace of Jesus Christ. We’ll walk with you in the struggle to let go of the familiarity of your brokenness, and into a new life of freedom and strength. We’ll walk with you to the presence of Jesus where your wounds are healed, your sins are forgiven, and your character becomes more like His. We’ll walk with you to victory.

If you or someone you know is struggling, call Reconciliation Ministries at 586.739.5114. We offer biblically based licensed counseling, mental health coaching, inner healing prayer, support groups, and so much more. We offer healing and equipping events to train ministry leaders and pastoral staff to minister to those struggling with unwanted LGBTQ attractions, sexual addiction, and abuse. Reconciliation Ministries is here for you. Reach out today.

Photos provided by www.unsplash.com. © 2026 Reconciliation Ministries of Michigan, Inc. This article may be reproduced and distributed as long as no fee is charged and credit is given.



Love Is The Answer

This newsletter was originally written by Dan Hitz for The MST Project’s Real Men Pursuing Purity Event 40 devotional booklet, The Path to Holiness, in February 2024. The MST Project is a Christian ministry committed to helping every man realize his full potential. MST stands for "Mentoring Men, Strengthening Marriages, Teaching Truth." The MST Project was founded by Christian Lenty and is an international ministry headquartered in Bangkok, Thailand. You can learn more about the MST Project at https://themstproject.com.

 “There was a certain creditor who had two debtors. One owed five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. And when they had nothing with which to repay, he freely forgave them both. Tell Me, therefore, which of them will love him more?”

Simon answered and said, “I suppose the one whom he forgave more.”

And He said to him, “You have rightly judged.”

Luke 7:41-43 NKJV

“The assurance of His total forgiveness of our sins through the blood of Christ means we don't have to play defensive games anymore. We don't have to rationalize and excuse our sins. We can call sin exactly what it is, regardless of how ugly and shameful it may be, because we know that Jesus bore that sin in His body on the cross.”

Jerry Bridges, The Navigators

If you’re reading this devotional it’s likely that you’ve been forgiven for a lot of bad things that have caused you much shame. The good news is that even when we were living a sinful life, God showed how much He loves us by sending His son, Jesus, to take the punishment that we deserved. (Romans 5:8) When we come to Him in repentance, He takes away our sin and invites us to live our lives in relationship with Him. He offers us the joy, peace, and fulfillment that we were looking for all along. His offer of forgiveness continues as we learn to live in relationship with Him and overcome our sin day by day. (Romans 5:1-11) The more we realize how much He has forgiven us, the more our love for Him grows. (Luke 7:36-50)

Through relationship with Jesus, we realize that the sinful things that we once thought were so valuable actually have no value. Even though our sexual sins may have felt very powerful, they actually robbed us of our strength. They put us into spiritual debt. When we turn away from our sins and ask Jesus for forgiveness, He forgives our debts and teaches us to value His ways. In relationship, He asks us to surrender the worthless things that caused us shame, and gives us things of great eternal value in their place. His love for us empowers us far more than the destructive false love of sexual sin cripples us.

Focusing on the love of Jesus and the better gifts He offers us helps us resist sin. A while ago I was looking at social media as I was getting ready to fall asleep. Temptation hit. I had a choice to make. I could surrender to the offer of a lesser pleasure that would give an immediate powerful payoff, but would bring shame and guilt; or I could look to Jesus who truly loves me and offers a much better reward for surrendering to Him. Thankfully I chose to forsake the shameful offering of sin, and embrace the Lord’s offering of peace. It was my love for Jesus and the desire to live for Him that helped me forsake sin. I got off of social media, turned on some audio Bible verses, and went to sleep. I woke the next morning to a wonderfully intimate prayer time with Jesus and could sense Him sharing powerful spiritual insights. Jesus’ love for me and my love for Him helped me turn away from the lesser action of sin and turn towards His wonderful gift of sexual purity and emotional peace. His love can help you too.

It is so much easier to walk away from something if you know what you are walking toward. Ask the Lord to help you understand His love for you and His goals for your life. As your love for Him grows, your appreciation of the value of His gifts will grow too. Focus on these things during your times of temptation. God’s love and His gifts are far more powerful than the destructive pleasure of sin.

  1. Can you fully receive the love and forgiveness that Jesus offers you, or do you struggle with condemnation?

  2. What has your sexual sin cost you emotionally, relationally, and experientially?

  3. What has Jesus offered you in exchange for your sin?

Dan Hitz is the Executive Director of Reconciliation Ministries of Michigan. He is an ordained minister and licensed professional counselor specializing in helping people overcome sexual brokenness, sexual abuse, and trauma. Dan has been in the ministry for over thirty years and lives with his wife, Marianne, in Metro Detroit, Michigan, USA.

Photo of man in grey hoodie courtesy of Guillaume Issaly via www.unsplash.com.

© 2024 Reconciliation Ministries of Michigan, Inc. This article may be reproduced and distributed as long as no fee is charged and credit is given.

 

What is the MST Project?

Christian Lenty is the founder and director of The MST Project, a ministry that seeks to mentor men into a pursuit of sexual purity and greater wholeness. Christian has lived and worked in Thailand for over 22 years and resides in Bangkok with his wife. This information was taken from https://themstproject.com/about/ and reprinted with permission.

MST stands for "Mentoring Men, Strengthening Marriages, Teaching Truth." As a ministry, we seek to support men everywhere through our three initiatives, On The Street, Pathway to Purity, and Real Men Pursuing Purity. And through these three initiatives, we advocate for men pursuing purity, Biblically healthy marriages, loving and caring families, and an unwavering commitment to the truth.

The MST Project focuses on three primary initiatives: On the Street ministers to men who visit red-light districts through sidewalk conversations, 1-on-1 meetings, and online resources. Pathway to Purity provides 1-on-1 mentorship, weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly accountability, and online resources. Real Men Pursuing Purity hosts quarterly events, provides weekly connect groups and online resources. Please refer to each specific ministry page for a comprehensive overview of each of our initiatives.

We believe that God's love, mercy, and grace is for all men, in all places, and at all times. We view all men as the fathers, brothers, and sons they are and whom God cares deeply about. (Genesis 2:7, 2 Peter 3:9) All people deal with issues, but not everyone has someone to help them overcome those issues. Our heart is to be that support for men wanting to make changes in their life.

When a man invites us to be a part of his life and the struggles he is encountering, we don't run away. We listen, we offer hope, we provide practical guidance, and we share the truth. Our care for men is best demonstrated by our commitment to men.

Visit https://themstproject.com/ to learn more about online resources and support.

© 2024 The MST Project. Reprinted with permission.