"He loves us so much He wants to help us. He knows what each day holds, and He longs to prepare us for every single thing He sees coming our way."*
Sometimes I fall into the trap of thinking that I'm a burden to Jesus. Anybody else?
I can easily slip into the mindset that each time I mess up and come crawling back to His feet for forgiveness He looks at me and thinks "Really, this again? Didn't I just help you 2 hours ago?"
I know, writing it out makes it seem silly to me too, but it's the truth. It's a feeling I struggle with so often, yet I've never really recognized it as a struggle. Until this morning, when I read these words and it felt as if Jesus whispered them straight to my heart.
He wants and longs to help and prepare us. He doesn't see us as an obligation. He doesn't see us as someone He is forced to help or rescue because He knows we've screwed things up too much to help ourselves.
In one moment, the Spirit simultaneously helped me recognize a struggle and provided the way out.
The truth is: I doubt that Jesus wants to help me. I doubt that He longs to prepare me for the day ahead. I can go on and on about loving the way Jesus pursues me, but I doubt that He does so out of desire and not obligation.
Y'all, if you find yourself falling into the same trap, read those two sentences at the beginning again and again and again. Let Jesus whisper to your heart today and remind you that He wants you.
You are not a burden to Jesus. You are the one He voluntarily gave His life to save. You are not an obligation to your Heavenly Father. You are His child, chosen and beloved.
When we mess up we do crawl back to Jesus for forgiveness, but we don't find a frustrated Savior keeping track of how many times we've asked for help in the last 24 hours or 24 years. We find a friend of sinners. We find a Shepherd with eyes full of grace for His sheep who has returned.
When we start to feel more like a burden than a bride, I pray we take our doubts straight to Jesus. Because we will find Him. We will find the same Jesus who prayed "Father, I want these whom you have given me to be with me where I am..."**
Jesus wants you. He has always wanted you. He will always want you.
*Embraced, Lysa TerKeurst
**John 17:24; If you find yourself with lingering doubts about just how loved and wanted you are by Jesus, please go back and read the entire prayer of Jesus in John 17. His love is stunning.