Samson and Judas

Hope everyone is having a good day. We are back in the Old Testament this morning, and we are going to look at one of the saddest verses in the Bible. I discussed this somewhere lately, I don't think it was here, but I have not had time to look. But even if I did this will be a little different.
"And she said, the Philistines be upon thee, Samson. And he awoke out of his sleep, and said I will go out as at other times before, and shake myself. And he wist not that the LORD was departed from him." Judges 16:20. Samson was at one time a great man of God, however he did not realize that God was no longer with him, that is what is sad. I hear all kinds of talk about how his hair was cut and he lost his strength, it does not matter that his hair was cut, well not for today's lesson. This is not about his vow not to cut his hair, that is another lesson. The point is, he had gotten so far from God, that she was able to cut his hair, that is why he lost his strength. He left God. Because he left God, God left him, allowing her to be able to trick him.
People get caught up in the details and miss the whole point, when God sends His Spirit upon us, we know it. It is a feeling like no other, we should know when the Spirit departs, but once we turn our back on God, we are not able to feel His presence, so we don't know when He leaves us this is what is sad. What you need to remember is, that we always leave Him, and leave Him no choice but to withdraw from us.
Jeremiah says in ch. 3:6 "The LORD said also unto me in the days of Josiah the king, hast thou seen that which backsliding Israel hath done? She is gone up upon every high mountain and under every green tree, and there hath played the harlot". Now look at vs 12 "return thou backsliding Israel, saith the LORD; and I will not cause mine anger to fall upon you: for I am merciful saith the Lord". Vs. 22 "Return ye backsliding children and I will heal your backslidings". God is merciful, He is faithful to forgive, and heal when we (re)turn to Him. Again in Hos. 14:4 we see where God said that He will heal our backsliding, because He loves us freely. How many times does He have to say it, before we listen?
However we need to realize that sin has a price, a price that has to be paid. Also, let me ask you, when you were young, (some of us can remember that far back), and you were doing something that you were not supposed to, your parents told you to stop, and you ignored them and kept on doing it, what happened? I know for me, Mom, or Dad one would grab a belt, and I would regret not listening. Of course I would stop. Now with my kids, I would tell them why what they were doing was wrong, then I would spank them, and then immediately hug them, until they hugged me back. I then told them to sit in their room and think about what they were doing wrong, and when they understood they could come out and see me, at what time they got another hug. They never stayed mad at me for long, they always realized pretty quick why they got in trouble. It was very seldom they got a spanking twice for the same thing, they learned their lesson. If only we as Christians could learn our lesson that easily.
In Heb. 12:5b-6 "My son despise not thou the chastening of the LORD nor faint when thou art rebuked of him: For whom the LORD loveth He chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom He receiveth." Why do you punish your children? It's not because you are mean, it's because you love them. There are times we have to face punishment from God, because of something we are doing, or not doing, not because He is vindictive, or harsh, but because He loves us. We need to accept His punishment, the way my children received theirs, quietly and sheepishly sticking our head out the bedroom door, and asking if we can have a hug. The answer from Him will always be yes.
My last question is, why is it so hard for us to repent? Why does God have to tell us several times that we are doing wrong? Why do we fight so hard to keep doing what we know is wrong? After all look at Mt. 27:3 "Then Judas, which had betrayed Him, when he saw that he was condemned repented himself". Even Judas repented. If he can repent, why can't we?