Your article was exactly what I needed to hear. I'm at that space right now. I've been a Christian since I was a young child. I was baptized when I was 11 and I'm 66 now. I desire an actual relationship with Jesus and God. I need to be still and listen .... I'm always trying to do the right thing but not listening to God's response. I'm going to slow down and begin to listen. Thank you for addressing this need.
Thank you for these beautiful words. Even with all the devotionals in the world, I do n”t “get it right”. But my worship is true and my heart belongs to Jesus. Your writing touched
“God doesn’t want your performance. He wants your presence.” Exactly. I was just writing the other day about ritual versus relationship for an upcoming post. It’s all about being with Jesus. 💜
um, God does want our performance. Or rather, he wants his performance... not our own works.
"Whoever has my commandments and keeps them, he it is who is loving me. And he who is loving me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him *and manifest myself to him.*” Judas (not Iscariot) said to him, “Lord, how is it that you will manifest yourself to us, and not to the world?” Jesus answered him, “If anyone loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him. -John 14:21-23.
Want to see Jesus? "In all things, love your neighbor as yourself." It doesn't get more intimate than "we will come to him and make our home with him!"
Life is full of seasons, and in some seasons I have felt super connected to God, and in others I have felt the distance. What helped me was to read all of the examples throughout the Bible when people like David, also cried out to God asking Him to show himself to them. Accepting the seasonality of my feelings alongside the consistency of God helped me learn to be patient and know God is there even when I don’t ‘feel’ close to Him. Then that season ends and the closeness returns thank God, but the seeking needs to continue regardless.
Your article was exactly what I needed to hear. I'm at that space right now. I've been a Christian since I was a young child. I was baptized when I was 11 and I'm 66 now. I desire an actual relationship with Jesus and God. I need to be still and listen .... I'm always trying to do the right thing but not listening to God's response. I'm going to slow down and begin to listen. Thank you for addressing this need.
Thank you for these beautiful words. Even with all the devotionals in the world, I do n”t “get it right”. But my worship is true and my heart belongs to Jesus. Your writing touched
me.
“God doesn’t want your performance. He wants your presence.” Exactly. I was just writing the other day about ritual versus relationship for an upcoming post. It’s all about being with Jesus. 💜
If you chase God with that hunger, you won’t come out hungry . AMEN!!! 🙏
I personally think that God wants us to worship Him and enjoy worshipping Him.
um, God does want our performance. Or rather, he wants his performance... not our own works.
"Whoever has my commandments and keeps them, he it is who is loving me. And he who is loving me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him *and manifest myself to him.*” Judas (not Iscariot) said to him, “Lord, how is it that you will manifest yourself to us, and not to the world?” Jesus answered him, “If anyone loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him. -John 14:21-23.
Want to see Jesus? "In all things, love your neighbor as yourself." It doesn't get more intimate than "we will come to him and make our home with him!"
Life is full of seasons, and in some seasons I have felt super connected to God, and in others I have felt the distance. What helped me was to read all of the examples throughout the Bible when people like David, also cried out to God asking Him to show himself to them. Accepting the seasonality of my feelings alongside the consistency of God helped me learn to be patient and know God is there even when I don’t ‘feel’ close to Him. Then that season ends and the closeness returns thank God, but the seeking needs to continue regardless.