Shelly envied her friend. Nell seemed to feel God’s nearness and find
comfort in His presence daily. Shelly had invited God into her life too yet He
often felt distant and she wondered why.
God’s
Word holds the answer. It says:
“Come near to God
and He will come near to you.” James 4:8
Just how do you come near to God? How
do you enter into His presence and feel His nearness and draw on His comfort?
Start with offering your thanks to God
for His blessings in your life.Even when life is difficult find the
blessings, however small they seem, and thank Him for them. God says we enter
His gates with thanksgiving. Thanksgiving opens the door.
Next, begin to praise God for the
faithful characteristics of who He is. Praise Him
for His compassion toward you. Praise Him for His mercy and His forgiving heart
toward you. Praise Him for His faithfulness and the fact that He can always be
trusted, even in the dark. Choose to praise Him for His graciousness toward
you.
Cultivate a thankful heart. Keeping
the faithfulness of God in clear view through deliberate praise will open the
door to His presence in new ways.
Begin today.
Loosen the doubt and the lack of trust from your heart by going through the
gate of thanksgiving.
Loosen the fear and skepticism from
your heart by praising God for who He is. Take time to let
the truths of His character penetrate your heart. He is good and He is
faithful.
“Enter his gates
with thanksgiving and His courts with praise; give thanks to Him and praise His
name, for the Lord is good and His love endures forever; His faithfulness
continues through all generations.” Psalm 100:4 & 5
Prayer: Father God, My heart is hungry to feel Your presence close to me. Help
me to enter into Your presence through the gate of thanksgiving. Remind me to
draw near to You with praise for the wonderful qualities of who You are. You
are good, Father God. I trust You to come near to me as I declare Your
blessings and Your character. Let these truths penetrate my heart, shape my
thinking and change my attitudes today. In Jesus’ name I pray, Ame
Source: Thoughts-About-God.Com
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