Silas
Beloved of All
Your desire to draw closer to God and to stay focused on Him is itself evidence that He is drawing you. That longing does not come from yourself alone, it is God pulling you back to Himself.
Because of Jesus you now have direct access to God. Under the old way even His own people could not come near except through a priest who entered for them, but now through Christ you are accepted and you can come boldly into His presence yourself. Think of how far He was willing to go to make that possible, how low Jesus came to redeem you, and how high God intends to bring you as His child. You are not just forgiven, you are made an heir of God and a joint heir with Christ.
If you want to be guided in the right direction, the question Scripture puts before us is this, is my life being led by the Spirit of God. As many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. God relates to you spirit to spirit, His Spirit bearing witness with your spirit. That means closeness comes not by trying harder in your own strength, but by yielding to Him and seeking to know and follow His will.
That guidance comes in practical ways. Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. It is through His word that you come to know Him, and knowing Him you learn to trust Him. Waiting on Him and listening is a vital part of prayer that many miss. We often pour out our requests and forget to be still and consider His wonderful works and let Him speak, whether through Scripture, through His Spirit, or even through what He has made. Do not look for direction in empty substitutes or ideas of God that we make up to be more lenient or tolerant, but seek His counsel directly.
He also wants to teach you. No one can teach like Him, and He often uses both correction and mercy to instruct us. When He is still speaking to your heart, that is a sign of His grace and an opportunity to respond and repent. Do not turn away from that voice.
God has a purpose and a plan for your life. You are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works which He prepared beforehand for you to walk in. As you yield yourself to Him you will begin to see the shape of what He is preparing you for. You do not need to force things or try to help God out, which only brings stress. He does not need a great army to accomplish His purpose, He can do His work through one yielded life as easily as through many. Your part is to leave it in His hands, to reverence Him, to walk in His ways, to love and serve Him with all your heart and soul, and to keep His commands which are given for your good.
Give Him your best, not what is left over. He does not want the cast offs of your time and attention. He is not looking for a payment you could never make, no riches can buy His favor, He is looking for a heart in harmony with what He already desires to do.
So keep keeping your focus on Him in this simple way. Open His word daily to hear Him, take time to wait quietly and listen after you pray, ask the Holy Spirit to lead you step by step, and trust that He who made a way for you to come near will also show you the next step to take. He delights to show mercy and to lead those who truly want to follow Him, and He will not fail to guide a heart that sincerely seeks Him.
May the Lord keep you close, establish your steps, and cause you to rejoice in Him as you walk with Him each day.
Because of Jesus you now have direct access to God. Under the old way even His own people could not come near except through a priest who entered for them, but now through Christ you are accepted and you can come boldly into His presence yourself. Think of how far He was willing to go to make that possible, how low Jesus came to redeem you, and how high God intends to bring you as His child. You are not just forgiven, you are made an heir of God and a joint heir with Christ.
If you want to be guided in the right direction, the question Scripture puts before us is this, is my life being led by the Spirit of God. As many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. God relates to you spirit to spirit, His Spirit bearing witness with your spirit. That means closeness comes not by trying harder in your own strength, but by yielding to Him and seeking to know and follow His will.
That guidance comes in practical ways. Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. It is through His word that you come to know Him, and knowing Him you learn to trust Him. Waiting on Him and listening is a vital part of prayer that many miss. We often pour out our requests and forget to be still and consider His wonderful works and let Him speak, whether through Scripture, through His Spirit, or even through what He has made. Do not look for direction in empty substitutes or ideas of God that we make up to be more lenient or tolerant, but seek His counsel directly.
He also wants to teach you. No one can teach like Him, and He often uses both correction and mercy to instruct us. When He is still speaking to your heart, that is a sign of His grace and an opportunity to respond and repent. Do not turn away from that voice.
God has a purpose and a plan for your life. You are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works which He prepared beforehand for you to walk in. As you yield yourself to Him you will begin to see the shape of what He is preparing you for. You do not need to force things or try to help God out, which only brings stress. He does not need a great army to accomplish His purpose, He can do His work through one yielded life as easily as through many. Your part is to leave it in His hands, to reverence Him, to walk in His ways, to love and serve Him with all your heart and soul, and to keep His commands which are given for your good.
Give Him your best, not what is left over. He does not want the cast offs of your time and attention. He is not looking for a payment you could never make, no riches can buy His favor, He is looking for a heart in harmony with what He already desires to do.
So keep keeping your focus on Him in this simple way. Open His word daily to hear Him, take time to wait quietly and listen after you pray, ask the Holy Spirit to lead you step by step, and trust that He who made a way for you to come near will also show you the next step to take. He delights to show mercy and to lead those who truly want to follow Him, and He will not fail to guide a heart that sincerely seeks Him.
May the Lord keep you close, establish your steps, and cause you to rejoice in Him as you walk with Him each day.
