Jeremiah 30:17-22
For I will restore health to you, and your wounds I will heal, says the LORD
(v. 17a).
I’ve had conversations with people of all ages who want to wait and get their lives together before they go to church or decide to walk with the Lord. The notion of waiting to be in relationship with God always saddens me, in part because God is the One who helps us get it together. When we desire lasting change, God empowers, equips, and guides us throughout our transformation.
I’ve journeyed through crises in my life and learned that restoration and transformation is a process. After experiencing disappointments and harmful situations, I initially chose self-preservation, meaning I erected walls to protect myself. But this path also created distance between myself and God. Eventually, I realized that the walls I erected had boxed me in. I had no peace. I was anxious and wrestled with hopelessness.
Something had to change. I made a choice to turn towards the Lord. I admitted the truth to myself and confessed that I was struggling to trust God. As I continued this prayer practice, confessing my lack of faith, God met me where I was. I gained a fresh awareness of God’s presence with me. Our renewed relationship led me to discover additional things I needed to confess, like my offenses and the grudges I held. As a result of my restored prayer life, I became aware of God’s unseen presence as I struggled with hopelessness.
The peace I live with now was not claimed easily, but it has been worth striving for. I’m grateful for what the Lord has done in my life. Most of all, I am grateful to be loved by the Lord and considered one of God’s own.
Consider
What hinders your relationship with God?
Pray
God, help us to see and confess whatever it is that stands between us. We love you and are grateful to be considered yours. Amen.