After You've Blown It: Reconnecting with God and Others

by Erwin W. Lutzer

YOU CAN START OVER AGAIN

Many Christians become so discouraged because of their sins and failures that they give up on ever having fellowship with God again. They also fear that their broken relationships will never heal. For everyone who has wished for a fresh beginning, here is good news. This gentle, affirming book emphasises how much God wants his wandering children to return to him. Award-winning author and pastor Erwin Lutzer provides solutions to common questions about how to reconnect with God and with those we are estranged from. Thanks to God’s grace, it is never too late to do what’s right.

In this powerful, practical book, bestselling author Erwin Lutzer shows you how to clear your conscience and reestablish broken relationships. Worthy or not, you can know real, lasting peace - and the assurance that God still has a plan for your life.

Story Behind the Book

The idea for this book came to me when speaking at Promise Keepers. There were many men who came to faith in Christ, but then failed in their walk the next week or the next month. So they assumed that this new life was not for them; they thought that God was so angry with their failure, they might just as well live on the fringes of the Christian faith, rather than making it the core of their lives. This is a message of grace, not only in establishing our relationship with God, but in reconciling with those we have wronged, or who have wronged us.

Genres: Religion, Christian, Nonfiction, Audiobook, Christian Living

96 pages, Hardcover

First published February 27, 2004

About the author

Erwin W. Lutzer is senior pastor of The Moody Church in Chicago. A graduate of Dallas Theological Seminary and Loyola University, he is the author of numerous books, including the Gold Medallion Award winner "Hitler's Cross" and the best seller "One Minute After You Die". He is also a teacher on radio programs heard on more than 700 stations throughout the United States and the world, including "Songs in the Night," "The Moody Church Hour," and the daily feature "Running to Win." He and his wife, Rebecca, live in the Chicago area and have three married children and seven grandchildren.

Reviews

[Yibbie · Rating 5 out of 5]

So you’ve sinned, hurt others, have enormous guilt, and have broken your fellowship with God. How can this ever be made right? Can you ever be forgiven? Can you ever return to God? Can He ever use you again?
This book discusses the nature of Biblical salvation, repentance, restitution, and restoration. The vast majority covers those topics as they apply to our relationship with God, but it also briefly covers their application to our relationship with others and ourselves. Because our sin and guilt are a major part of this book, a large section addresses the root problem of our sinful nature. That leads to a clear presentation of the Gospel solution to sin. The rest deals with what happens when a Christian sins and the Biblical path to restoration.
It calls us to return to God, no matter what we’ve done. By walking us through the beautiful repentance and forgiveness parable of the Prodigal Son, Lutzer shows us the amazing grace and mercy God offers anyone who will repent.
It also calls on us to do the hard work of reconciliation and restitution that follows repentance. Lutzer acknowledges that there are sins that carry unfixable consequences. But he also wants us to see that just because it is hard or painful to do right should not hinder our repentance and return to fellowship with the Lord.
I would recommend it to every person who has struggled with guilt over past wrongs, so everyone.

[Melanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

After You've Blown It was a great read. It was a short read (or listen, in my case), but had a lot of powerful quotes. I wish I had a print copy, so I could have written more down.

I loved how the book dug deep into the Prodigal Son parable as well as other stories from the Bible. I also liked the quotes from Spurgeon as well as Martin Luther.

"But we cannot let the attitude of others keep us from the Father's tender embrace."

All in all, this is a book I recommend to anyone struggling with guilt.

For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.
Ephesians 2:8‭-‬9

[Daniel Tai · Rating 3 out of 5]

since we all have sinned, its a great reminder that no matter how deep or how wide our sin is, God will forgive as we repent.

[Eric C 1965 · Rating 3 out of 5]

Dealing with guilt.

[Mindy · Rating 5 out of 5]

A simple, powerful explanation of why we are never too far gone for the mercy and forgiveness of God to reach us.

[Jonathan Agudelo Usuga · Rating 5 out of 5]

Un buen material para aquel que sigue sintiendo vergüenza después de pecar.
Este libro es el recuerdo de la promesa de perdón para los hijos de Dios.

[Jimmy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Let’s face it: We all sin daily. So a book on sin, guilt, repentance and God’s grace will always be relevant for the spiritual man or woman. Erwin Lutzer writes this book with a pastoral heart. I appreciate the tone of the book and early in the book uses the parable of the two sons to drive the point about God’s grace. The book also has a helpful discussion about the need to confess our sins and rectifying for our sins even if it means it is difficult and costly in paying back for things we have done. Another helpful point I got from the book is also the wisdom in how we confess our sins such as sins that only occur in our thought might at times be better off confessed to God if it didn’t happen in action against another person, since certain sins such as that of lust might end up causing more sin rather than being helpful to the other person.

[Chevelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was, would you believe, my bathroom reader. My reasoning was that you can draw inspiration from anywhere, if you keep your heart open enough and the bathroom door closed.

I strongly recommend this for anyone who sees Christianity as One Long, Hard Guilt Trip. It's not. And that might be the hardest thing about Christianity to accept, because we belong to a world where nothing good comes free.

If you've been a Christian for a long time, fallen repeatedly - even big time - and are still kicking yourself for ghosts past and present, read this. And meditate. It is such strong comfort.

[Martin · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a book I need to hear from years ago. If you struggle with guilt, doubt, and self-loathing due to the previous two, this book is for you.