I often find myself distressed over my shortcomings. I want to make my Heavenly Father proud. The world needs more of Him, and I need more of Him. There are many areas I want to improve in; many ways I want to become more like Christ; many ways I want to properly love those around me.
But whenever I feel the anxiousness or tiredness from falling short, a few simple truths bring me out of my self-focused mentality, and instead, bring into focus the heart of my God. For He says tenderly to a restless soul, "[...] you are anxious and troubled over many things, but one thing is necessary [...]". That one thing is sitting at Jesus' feet: learning from Him, gazing at His beauty (Luke 10:41-42, Psalm 27:4).
How simple is that! How easy and light! There’s only one thing I need to worry about seeking: getting to know Him more. Not trying to be perfect, not covering my mistakes so I look better, not working myself to the bone so I feel like I reached an imaginary standard of acceptability. None of that is what God asks me to strive for. Instead of striving, He demands that my priority be simply to position myself right near Him. That's why Jesus says that He is gentle and lowly in heart, and that His burden is light, and with Him I'll find rest for my soul (Matthew 11:28-30).
My testimony from getting closer to God is that the Holy Spirit has kept calming me when little things piled up and got stressful. Reading God’s Word has taught me about how great and real and close and caring and personal He is. I have enjoyed many songs and hymns that soothed my spirit. He has made me pause, be still, and gain confidence in Him by the majestic beauty of the sky and birds and nature. He has challenged my idea of what it really means to live at peace, through sermons at church about giving thanks always. And He has carried me with the hands of His body, the church, ready to pray when I sometimes felt too hurt or tired to pray. I thank God my Father for His gentleness and His goodness, and how His kindness always brings me back to Him with stronger hope for the future.
