Okay, girl. You had a great Sunday, but then you let life stress you out and get you down. Give it to God!
Keep trying and keep trusting. It will work out; it always does. I know right now it feels hopeless, but one day you will look back and thank yourself for not giving up. You need to remember how far you've come - then you will get only a glimpse of how far God wants to take you yet. What did we talk about? One day at a time - a life is built piece by piece. So, please, breathe. Listen to God when He says He has big plans for you (yes, you!), good plans for His glory! He longs to use you; do not be discouraged. Keep trying and keep trusting. You've got this, girl - because He's got you.
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I was blessed with a wonderful earthly father. My dad has been one of my closest companions throughout my life, and one of my biggest influences as I have grown up. But as amazing as he is, I have an even more magnificent Heavenly Father – and so do you. The enormity of this truth I often forget. As a Christian, it is easy to say your prayers, addressing God as Father, thanking Him for your food, and saying amen. I am more than guilty of this – accepting Father as another way to address God in prayer, without realizing what that really means. The worst part is, I didn’t even know I was doing this. A few days ago, eating lunch with a wonderful person, we were discussing the power of prayer. Of course, I pray daily, and have always believed that prayer is an essential part of walking out a Christian faith – a method chosen by God for us to fully experience His presence and acknowledge our total dependence on Him. Growing up in the church I remember being told things like, “oh you can pray anywhere!” and “you should pray whenever you have any free moments,” in accordance with what the bible says: “pray without ceasing,” (1Thessalonians 5:17). In fact, one of my most vivid memories from Sunday School as a child was our message on prayer – our teacher was telling us that we can talk to God anywhere, any time. Some boy in the class raised his hand and asked, “Even when we are throwing up??” clearly thinking he was funny, trying to find a time when surely we could not be praying. On the contrary, though, our teacher responded straightly, “Yes. Even when you’re throwing up.” For whatever reason, that resonated in my 9-year-old brain, and has stuck with me since then. Armed with this teaching, I have spoken with God frequently, most often in my pajamas under my cozy blankets half asleep. Something changed in me recently, though. Suddenly, I became aware how inadequate I am before my God. I became aware how embarrassed I felt that I could speak to the Creator of the Universe in my pajamas. I felt a heavy guilt wash over me, one that interfered with my prayer life. I began to feel that my prayers needed to be formally worded, or at least I needed to be properly dressed to speak to my King. Though I firmly believe that when entering the presence of God there should be a sincere sense of respect, this guilt was hindering my relationship with God. Instead of making the effort to pray “properly,” I just stopped praying as often, and I definitely was not praying “without ceasing.” Which brings me back to my lunchtime conversation. Sitting across from my friend, I told him how I’ve been feeling. Weighed down in my feelings of inadequacy, I said to him, “who am I to come before God?” He looked at me in the eyes and without hesitation replied, “you’re his daughter.” A small comment of a truth of which he was so sure. A truth I had forgotten. Just typing this, my heart is full, and my eyes are filling with tears. There is no greater peace than this. "Who am I to come before God?" A daughter. His daughter. God’s child. That’s who I am. And it’s who you are too. I speak to my dad freely. I speak to my dad about my heartbreaks, my struggles, and my joys. I speak to my dad for comfort. I speak to him every day. And it’s okay to speak to my Father the same way. Yes, God is the Creator of the Universe. Yes, He is the One True King. But He is also our Father who loves us beyond comprehension. As my friend reminded me, “He sees you when you wake up in the morning with bed head,” there is no hiding your mess from God. Better yet, there is no need. Instead, “The Lord draws near to the brokenhearted,” (Psalm 34:18) and His “power is made perfect in weakness,” (2 Corinthians 12:9). The Lord does not require us to be blameless before speaking to Him, but instead makes us that way through Jesus. God longs to love us on the most intimate level, in a way in which He is constantly on our hearts, and in our minds. And though my dad may occasionally want me to stop talking so much, my Father says to never stop. He reveals Himself to us in prayer. He longs for us to come before Him in prayer. We are a broken people. I am a broken person. He loves me in spite of it, and He makes me perfect in His love. He is more than my King, He is my Father. And I am His daughter. In His presence, I will remain – messy hair and all. |
AuthorHello! I'm Becca -humanitarian, caffeine addict, lover of books, people, and all things Jesus. You can find me in my pajamas, day dreaming about rainy days and saving the world. Archives
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