Hello Everyone,
There have been some very good answers and insights in this thread!
As Ray has addressed in regard to the 'unpardonable sin' I believe that train of thought is also applicable here. Are you constantly meditating about your relationship with God? Are you beginning to hate your carnal nature and the sins you are prone to? Do you strive to learn more of Him and to please Him?
Or are you complacent in your standing with God? Do you feel no need to study, read, pray, repent, seek His guidance in all things? Do you feel rich in spirit and that you are saved (first resurrection) and that nothing can take that away?
If you feel the need to constantly hold Him closer and closer to your heart you are being drawn to Him, as we get closer to God our baser nature becomes increasingly more obvious to us, Christ's Spirit within us (our new man) rejects the things we once held dear (that is tribulation, chastisement), our carnal mind stops being something we justify (our old man) in fact we want to leave it behind and become a new spiritual creature.
Revelation 3 (King James Version)
13He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.
14And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write; These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God;
15I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot.
16So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.
17Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked:
18I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see.
19As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent.
20Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.
21To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne.
22He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.
Take comfort in the fact that you are constantly thinking about Him, not just at a church service once or twice a week for an hour or so patting yourself on the back because you found Him.
No, we take comfort because He has seen fit to draw us to Him and to purge us of our carnal nature by dragging us through His purifying fire in the here and now!
If there is complacency in our spiritual life then we truly need to repent, but if we are complacent we cannot see the need to repent. Be thankful for these questions, this strife, this need deep inside to get closer to Him.
I hope this is of some help.
His Peace and Wisdom to you,
Joe