Do you know someone who makes you feel uncomfortable? Perhaps it’s because certain people intimidate you in some way. Maybe you believe they are smarter than you, or better than you at something, or maybe you think they are just better people than you are. Maybe they know how to handle themselves in a crowd and make people laugh, while you tend to cower in the background. Maybe they are more attractive, more athletic than you are. To make matters worse, deep down you’re sure they think they are better than you. That could all be true. I know there are people like that in the world who try to make themselves feel better by putting others down. Or it could just be something you’ve made up out of your own insecurities. Either way, do you enjoy hanging out with these people? Probably not. In fact, you probably do your best to avoid them.
What about the people whose company you enjoy? Aren’t they the people who love you for who you are, people whom you trust with your secrets, people who encourage you and lift you up? Don’t you love hanging out with them?
Now, ask yourself this important question: What does God think of me? If you believe that He’s more like the first person who is always disappointed with you and looking down His nose at you and wishing you were different or better, then chances are you probably don’t enjoy His company very much. You probably have a hard time praying and don’t really look forward to spending time with God.
I felt this way for years, and, in fact, I still struggle with it. After all, He’s God. He knows all my faults, every bad thought and bad motive. Everything. Yikes. He must think I’m a complete loser! But this kind of thinking really inhibited my relationship with Him. I didn’t allow myself to just be myself with Him. I avoided spending time with God. I always felt deep down that He must be displeased with me.
Guess what: I couldn’t have been further from the truth. Listen to what God says about you and me (His children):
The LORD your God is with you, he is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, he will quiet you with his love, he will rejoice over you with singing (Zephaniah 3:17 NIV).
How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God (1 John 3:1 NIV)!
Have you ever thought of God rejoicing over you? Singing and dancing over you? Taking great delight in you? Well, He does! And it has nothing to do with your performance. It only matters that you are His child.
The next time you think about spending time with God, picture Him sitting on the edge of his seat (or throne) anxiously waiting to talk with you, gazing at you with a sparkle in His eyes, hoping you’ll turn His way and talk to Him. He loves you. He wants to spend time with you. He doesn’t see your faults because they are all washed away by the blood of His Son. He simply adores you and wants to help you and be there for you and listen to you. Try to think of Him like that, and I guarantee it will revolutionize your time with Him and bring you more joy than you thought possible!
MaryLu Tyndall