If you've sinned in thought or speech, don't assume God has left you. The Holy Spirit stays present to comfort and help you correct course. God's mercies are new each morning, giving you a fresh chance to try again.
So the next time you make a mistake, the next time you say something and you hear it coming out of your mouth and you say, ugh, I should not have said it like that, or I should not have said that at all. The moment you catch yourself thinking a thought you should not have thought, or perhaps repeating some mistake that you promised God you would never make again, the moment you catch yourself at that time, you're going to be tempted to think in terms of the Holy Spirit is off at a distance. The Holy Spirit has not turned his back on you. The Holy Spirit has not walked away. Instead, the Holy Spirit puts his arm around you and he says, I'm here to help you get it right. Let's try again. The scripture declares that his mercies are new every morning. Every day that you wake up, there's another opportunity to please God. Every morning that comes is a new chance to try again. So don't give up. Don't get frustrated. Don't think in the worst-case scenario. Don't imagine that God has withdrawn the Holy Spirit from you. That's legalism. But instead, realize that the Holy Spirit is there as a faithful friend, understanding our weaknesses and our frailties, empowering us to be more like the Lord.
