“I’m not the person I want to be.”
Yes… sometimes we live out a lie, but the truth is, we are in Christ. Right now. And forevermore.
“I’m too sinful to draw near to God.”
We are sinful… but Jesus said he has only come for sinners. If you come as ‘righteous’ you’re turned away. The only people who can come are sinners!
“I’ve drifted from God.”
Yes, it can feel like it, but in the deepest sense a Christian can’t drift from God any more than Christ can. We are eternally joined to a perfect High Priest — so how can we flee from his presence?
“I need to forgive myself.”
I know what you mean… but we can’t forgive ourselves and in some senses we shouldn’t try. Forgiveness means the cancellation of a debt, and no debtor can cancel their own debt. It’s Christ who needs to forgive us. And he has!
“I need to find my identity in Jesus.”
Yes… but we don’t need an identity in Jesus. We need Jesus. With eyes on him we find our identity. With eyes on ‘our identity’ we lose ourselves.
“I just think I need to get God’s grace.”
Yes… but grace is not a concept, he’s a person. And he’s given to us already. The truth that really saves is that he’s got us!
“I wish I was a stronger Christian.”
We all do… but the Doctor comes for the sick, the Bread comes for the hungry, the Living Waters come for the thirsty, the Mighty God comes for the weak. There’s no other kind of Christian to be!
“I need to be more ‘on fire’ for Jesus.”
It’s good that we want to love him more… but remember, Jesus doesn’t say ‘Get on fire for me’, he says ‘You are the light of the world!’
“My prayers are rubbish.”
Yes… and welcome to the family. The good news is, we don’t get to God on the basis of our prayers but on the basis of our Intercessor, Jesus. So let’s stop beating ourselves up and look again to him. He’ll tidy up our rubbish prayers and add his Almighty Amen!
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This is very good! Thank you.
Thanks for the reminder Emma.