How to keep reaching for Jesus in the storm ๐
Itโs hard to keep reaching for Jesusโ hand when youโre drowning, head barely above water deep in sin, or deep in sadness, or deep in unfaithfulness.
Youโre not a disgrace, Jesus loves you, Jesus is reaching for you, too. You just canโt feel him amidst the winds. He will always chase your love and chase your faith.
Just like the story of the 100 sheep. If the lord has 100 sheep, but one goes astray, God will go chase the one. Even though he has 99. Heโll always be loving you, and wanting you back.
โโIf a man has 100 sheep, but one of the sheep is lost, what will he do? He will leave the other 99 sheep on the hill and go look for the lost sheep. Right?โ
โญโญMatthewโฌ โญ18โฌ:โญ12โฌ โญERVโฌโฌ
โAnd if he finds the lost sheep, he is happier about that one sheep than about the 99 sheep that were never lost. I can assure you,โ
โญโญMatthewโฌ โญ18โฌ:โญ13โฌ โญERVโฌโฌ
โin the same way your Father in heaven does not want any of these little children to be lost.โ
โญโญMatthewโฌ โญ18โฌ:โญ14โฌ โญERVโฌโฌ
How to keep thinking of God even though your faith is in a valley
1. Donโt worry about proper prayer. There is no โproperโ way to pray. You can pray in your bed lying down, you can pray out loud with your eyes open doing something, you can pray silently in your head in a busy train.
โโโโ-> taking that in account, try to pray in tiny ways each day. Even if itโs just reminding yourself of Gods blessings
2. Stop feeling โtoo sinfulโ to go to God. Donโt think โGod thinks Iโm not taking him seriouslyโ โI canโt pray right now because Iโm not worthyโ
โโโโโโโโ> Gods response to this is to come to him as you are. No matter how broken you think you are, no matter how โdirtyโ you think you are. He WANTS you to come to him in anyway you can. He will give you rest. He will carry your burdens
โCome unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.โ
โญโญMatthewโฌ โญ11โฌ:โญ28โฌ โญKJVโฌโฌ
3. Get into a Christian community. Join those who are like minded in faith, talk to them. Iron sharpens iron. Being around a Christian community and around people with powerful faiths helps tremendously. IM ALWAYS WELCOME TO DMS!!
โโโโโโโโโ->. โAs one piece of iron sharpens another, so friends keep each other sharp.โ
โญโญProverbsโฌ โญ27โฌ:โญ17โฌ โญERVโฌโฌ
4. Incorporate Jesus and the Bible in small ways. Reading the Bible can be a chore, it can be something that requires a lot of energy. Download the Bible app and instead of reading, put it in audio and listen to it while you fall asleep. Let your dreams be peaceful and blessed and protected
5. Know youโre trying your best. Acknowledge that youโre trying for Jesus, acknowledge Jesus will meet you in any place youโre in, acknowledge how strong you are for keeping on going
6. Know the devils tricks and your self control. A lot of the time the voice in your head says โIโm just gonna do it again so it doesnโt matter coming to himโ this is just keeping you in the cycle of your habitual sin.
Small things to say to yourself
โJesus loves me no matter where Iโm atโ
โJesus recognizes my effortsโ
โIโm doing the best I canโ
โThe lord is my firm foundation and he wonโt moveโ
โI will make it out as God leads me through the shadow of doubtโ
โLord I know you see me struggling and I know youโre aware of where my faith is at the moment. But know I will make it out with small steps, I know youโre recognizing my small steps of effort, I know youโre right behind me and will reach for me every time I stumble. Thank you for being here for me, amen.โ