Monday, February 17, 2014

Then Jesus said "Come to Me…"

I woke up this morning feeling tired. Not just sleepy, but really tired. I didn't feel ready for another day and I was afraid of doing today alone. I worried that maybe God wasn't too interested in my day or in the things that were weighing so heavily on me.

An hour or so later, I came back into our bedroom and just curled up quietly on the bed. All I could do was calmly tell God that I was discouraged and frustrated and that I didn't really feel like trying to figure out why I felt that way. My faith was feeling a little weak as I thought back to fears I struggled with last night… fears that God was ignoring me or that I had committed some sin that was keeping Him away from me. There were fears that I was inadequate to help people know Him. So I quietly talked to God about these fears and insecurities as I laid on my bed late this morning.

Then there was a little phrase that settled in my heart. It was just something the Holy Spirit reminded me of… in my spirit I felt God's invitation, "Come to me". Only a few minutes before I might have been frustrated by that invitation. I might have thought, "God, that's what I'm trying to do but I feel like I just can't get to you! I feel like everything I pray and everything I think frustrates me more. I just want you to tell me what to do and take over here." But I felt some fresh hope in that moment that there was a way out of my despair.

I simply sat up and started doodling the words "Come to Me" in my journal. I turned on worship music and accepted that invitation to spend some time with Him. I think I just needed to push past those fears about God rejecting me and I needed to believe Him at His Word, spoken by Jesus in Scripture:

"Come to me…"

That phrase "Come to me" wasn't God's way of teasing me… telling me to chase after Him while he hid and kept me frustrated. Jesus said "Come to me..." in Matthew 11:28 because He meant it. We really can come to Him!

I think "Come to me" was placed in my spirit this morning as a reminder that no matter how I feel or what fears are weighing heavy on me, He is always there for me. He is always there for us. Today, can we stand together in faith that whatever fears have kept us from going to Him in the past don't have to keep us from going to Him today? With the authority Jesus has given us, let's stand firm as the body of Christ against the lies of the enemy and keep going to God.

28 Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.29 Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light.”

We've got a job to do, my friends. There are countless people on this earth today who need to hear the Hope that we know in Jesus Christ. Today I believe we can't afford to allow ourselves to be distracted by fears and lies and insecurities. We just don't have time for that.  Jesus understands our weariness and the heavy burdens that weigh on us so He made us this beautiful offer… we can come to Him! He will teach us and give us true rest but not so we can give up on our calling! In gentleness and humility, He will equip us to keep going for the cause of the Gospel! We have a job to do and He is so happy to prepare us for it.

Today let's push past those fears, those lies, and those insecurities and trust Jesus at His Word. What a beautiful future we have ahead of us, friends. We will see so many come to know this Hope in Jesus as we go to Him and continue the work of the Gospel.

Love,
Bonnie

*can you tell I'm feeling ready for spring from the picture above? ;)

2 comments:

  1. So wise honey. I love hearing you worship from the next room! Seeing you grow makes me want to grow too. Thanks for making me a good man. :)

    ReplyDelete
  2. Really needed this reminder today. :)
    Thanks for this, Bonnie!

    ReplyDelete

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Monday, February 17, 2014

Then Jesus said "Come to Me…"

I woke up this morning feeling tired. Not just sleepy, but really tired. I didn't feel ready for another day and I was afraid of doing today alone. I worried that maybe God wasn't too interested in my day or in the things that were weighing so heavily on me.

An hour or so later, I came back into our bedroom and just curled up quietly on the bed. All I could do was calmly tell God that I was discouraged and frustrated and that I didn't really feel like trying to figure out why I felt that way. My faith was feeling a little weak as I thought back to fears I struggled with last night… fears that God was ignoring me or that I had committed some sin that was keeping Him away from me. There were fears that I was inadequate to help people know Him. So I quietly talked to God about these fears and insecurities as I laid on my bed late this morning.

Then there was a little phrase that settled in my heart. It was just something the Holy Spirit reminded me of… in my spirit I felt God's invitation, "Come to me". Only a few minutes before I might have been frustrated by that invitation. I might have thought, "God, that's what I'm trying to do but I feel like I just can't get to you! I feel like everything I pray and everything I think frustrates me more. I just want you to tell me what to do and take over here." But I felt some fresh hope in that moment that there was a way out of my despair.

I simply sat up and started doodling the words "Come to Me" in my journal. I turned on worship music and accepted that invitation to spend some time with Him. I think I just needed to push past those fears about God rejecting me and I needed to believe Him at His Word, spoken by Jesus in Scripture:

"Come to me…"

That phrase "Come to me" wasn't God's way of teasing me… telling me to chase after Him while he hid and kept me frustrated. Jesus said "Come to me..." in Matthew 11:28 because He meant it. We really can come to Him!

I think "Come to me" was placed in my spirit this morning as a reminder that no matter how I feel or what fears are weighing heavy on me, He is always there for me. He is always there for us. Today, can we stand together in faith that whatever fears have kept us from going to Him in the past don't have to keep us from going to Him today? With the authority Jesus has given us, let's stand firm as the body of Christ against the lies of the enemy and keep going to God.

28 Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.29 Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light.”

We've got a job to do, my friends. There are countless people on this earth today who need to hear the Hope that we know in Jesus Christ. Today I believe we can't afford to allow ourselves to be distracted by fears and lies and insecurities. We just don't have time for that.  Jesus understands our weariness and the heavy burdens that weigh on us so He made us this beautiful offer… we can come to Him! He will teach us and give us true rest but not so we can give up on our calling! In gentleness and humility, He will equip us to keep going for the cause of the Gospel! We have a job to do and He is so happy to prepare us for it.

Today let's push past those fears, those lies, and those insecurities and trust Jesus at His Word. What a beautiful future we have ahead of us, friends. We will see so many come to know this Hope in Jesus as we go to Him and continue the work of the Gospel.

Love,
Bonnie

*can you tell I'm feeling ready for spring from the picture above? ;)

2 comments:

  1. So wise honey. I love hearing you worship from the next room! Seeing you grow makes me want to grow too. Thanks for making me a good man. :)

    ReplyDelete
  2. Really needed this reminder today. :)
    Thanks for this, Bonnie!

    ReplyDelete