Be sure your sin will find you out.

NU 32:23

David’s 'one-night stand' with Bathsheba turned into a long-term wipe-out. In Psalm 32 we read about the effects of sin on David. In the aftermath he felt guilt, shame, and even physical symptoms because he wouldn't come clean with God. But his story doesn’t end there. After being confronted by the prophet Nathan, he repented. After a year of hiding his sin, David came to his senses and sought God in brokenness of spirit.

If you want to know how to come back from sin and failure, do what David did, " fall on your knees, open your Bible to Psalm 51 and pray: "Have mercy upon me, O God, according to Your lovingkindness; according to the multitude of Your tender mercies, blot out my transgressions. Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin" (Ps 51:1-2 NKJV). Some of us don’t know what repentance means. We offer a little prayer that goes: "Lord, I’m sorry for my sins. Forgive me in Jesus’ name. Amen." True repentance begins with confession, which means to agree with God that what you did was wrong and needs to be made right. David prayed: "Against You...have I sinned, and done this evil in Your sight" (Ps 51:4 NKJV). Genuine repentance means acknowledging that your sin is first and foremost an affront to God. It makes no excuses. It says, "This is my problem and my sin. I didn’t have to yield, but I chose to. I can’t blame it on anyone else." Do you need to come back from failure, or are you dealing with someone who does? This is where it starts.