We can often find ourselves in a position where coming to God is like an after-thought, like it's the thing we do after we've run into trouble, after we've made the wrong choices then trying to figure out everything on our own, after we've experienced the worry, anxiety and stress of trying to solve things in our own ability ... then we come running to God for help ... but why wait? Why is coming to God not our first option? Why is it often the last thing we seek to do, like it's our last resort?
In the previous message I asked the question, "Can I trust God's love?" and concluded the message by saying that yes we can but that the quality or depth of that trust is different for different people because in order to grow that trust, hope, expectation, confidence - faith - in God, we need to grow and develop our relationship with Him - and this is not a once off event or action. It takes time and development (just like any other relationship). We need to nurture and care for that relationship, we need to cherish it, respect and honour it, prioritize it, etc. because God's done everything He's needed to do from His end of the relationship, it's up to us to come to Him (James 4:8, John 15:4-6, John 17:22-23, Philippians 3:7-8, Revelation 3:20), and as we grow, as we abide (in union and fellowship with Him), as we come to know (through personal experience) and believe in His love for us, we'll be in a place where perfect love casts out fear (see 1 John 4:17-18).
I also said that God wants us to know that we can trust Him, that we can rely upon Him, that He's dependable, that we can come to Him in prayer, seeking Him, having the hope, confidence, expectation and faith to know that He will do as He has promised and that we can trust in His love towards us...and how knowing this, makes approaching God in faith much easier...and we know this, through the quality of our relationship with Him.
For today's message I'd like to build on from there and say that if all of the above is true, then we should reach a point where coming to God (in prayer and for help) becomes something that we do almost automatically, instinctively and habitually.
Unfortunately there are people that look down upon the idea of asking for help, like it's seen as a sign of weakness. They sometimes feel too shy or become embarrassed at the idea because they're afraid of what others might say or think about them. They don't want to be made to feel inadequate or silly for asking so they keep silent instead. They want to prove (whether to others or to themselves) that they can do it alone / that they can make it on their own ... The problem here is that they end up taking a similar approach in their relationship with God and it contradicts what He desires.
The below passages tell us that God desires to help us, that His help is available to us and that we must come to Him for help:
Isaiah 41:10, Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.
Psalm 54:4, Behold, God is my helper; the Lord is the upholder of my life.
Hebrews 13:5,6, Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for He has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” So we can confidently say, “The Lord is my helper; I will not fear; what can man do to me?”
James 1:5, If any of you is deficient in wisdom, let him ask of the giving God [Who gives] to everyone liberally and ungrudgingly, without reproaching or faultfinding, and it will be given him.
Hebrews 4:14-16, We do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin. Let us therefore approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.
Psalm 46:1, God is our refuge and strength [mighty and impenetrable], A very present and well-proved help in trouble.
I Peter 5:5-7, Be clothed with humility, for “God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble.” Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you.
Therefore when God tells us that we can pray to Him (Mark 11:24, Philippians 4:6, James 5:15-16, Matthew 6:6-7, 1 Thessalonians 5:17, John 15:7, 1 John 5:14-15, etc.) it's not a sign of weakness - it's a sign of obedience!
It's doing what HE asked us to do!
It's an act of Faith!
It's an act of Trust!
It is a display of our belief in who God says He is!
It's an acknowledgment of the fact that we have a covenant with a living and loving God who is there for us!
God wants us to know that we can come to Him for help and that He WANTS to help us! He invites us to do so. We have a 24/7 help-line we can call ... and we didn't come up with the idea - He did!!!
However, if we know all of this - if we know that God is willing to help - then put differently, one could say that refusing to ask Him for help can indirectly be seen as having faith in oneself and not in Him. It can be seen as being stubborn and proud. We're actually been disobedient to what He said we should do. It's like we're indirectly telling God that we can handle everything on our own and don't need His help. It reflects the opposite of what it means to be in a covenant with someone (where we don't depend or draw on the strengths of the other person). It also denies God the opportunity of His desire to help us and showcase His glory in our lives so that it's evident for others to see as well.
We should always remember the fact that we need Him. That it's not something to be shy or embarrassed about - He knows everything about us anyway - but it's for us to acknowledge that fact - To acknowledge to ourselves and to Him that we can't do it alone and therefore coming before Him openly and just being transparent and honest in our engagement with Him - in our prayers, in our times of praise and worship, in how we see ourselves, with where we're at in our relationship with Him, how we feel about certain things or issues we may be struggling with, about people we may be struggling to forgive, help with being a spouse, a parent, family situations, work situations, etc. WHATEVER it may be ... let's be honest with Him ... and come to Him in our time of need (Hebrews 4:14-16) ... for HE is our helper! ... and we need to be confident in this.
Psalm 121:1, I lift up my eyes to the hills. From where does my help come? My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth. He will not let your foot be moved; He who keeps you will not slumber.
Amen