Come & SeeSample

I have been a Christian for over twenty years now and Jesus is my closest friend.

But still, I always feel a little bit afraid when it is time for me to pray.

I feel shame.

“I have not been reading my Bible much this week. I have been busy. I am disappointed with myself and ashamed to go to God.” 

I feel pressure.

I did not wake up early.  Again! 

If I wake up early to pray when it is still dark outside, then I will grow much closer to God than I am now.”

I feel doubts.

“What if I can’t understand when God is trying to tell me something and I miss it!” 

“I am distracted and I am not good at praying.”

One day, I was talking with a mentor, a Christian woman who is older than me. She is wise and teaches me a lot. I told her that sometimes I avoid praying because deep inside I feel like God might not pay attention to me.

She told me, “You are hurting His feelings!”

Wow.

Right.

If my very best friend who has known me for many years tells me that she is afraid of me because I might be mean to her, or she tells me that she doubts if I care about her…. That would hurt my feelings.

She should know me better! I have done so many kind things for her and she thinks I don't care! She should know the truth about me!

That is how God feels if I am afraid to talk to Him.  Jesus died and gave up His life,  so that I can walk with confidence, right up to the throne of God. I can talk to God ANY time, and God will always have grace and mercy for me. I know He  will always be there to help me. Jesus gave me that gift of a Father in heaven.

Do you ever feel like me?

Do you feel like because you have not talked to God in years that God is mad or upset with you?

Do you think that you are not good enough, or talented enough, or smart enough to understand what God says to you?

Jesus did it for us.  

What MERCY do you need right now? Forgiveness for a sin?

What GRACE do you need right now? 

His kindness when you don't deserve it?

What HELP do you need right now?

Help for a problem?

Let us run to God and tell Him all about it. Have no fear!

“Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence so that we may receive

MERCY and find GRACE to HELP us in our time of need.

Hebrews 4:16