Come as you are

'Come as you are!' These words had a big impact on my life this week, and no, I wasn't listening to a Nirvana song. I had been having a pretty rough week and was struggling to spend time with God. As I expressed this to a friend, I got an email back saying 'come as you are'. It was so refreshing to know that I am loved and accepted as I am, and that I don't have to pretend to be anything else. More than that though, the email reminded me that Christ also utters that invitation to me...'Come as you are!'

I needed to be reminded that God doesn't expect me to come to him with it all together, but rather he longs for me to come just as I am. Fears, failures, doubts, brokenness and whatever else I may be. God is in the business of replacing fear with joy, failures with hope, doubts with truth and brokenness with wholeness. When I think about it like that, it makes me wonder why I often find it easier to go to God when things are going well than when they are not. Jesus says, "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light". (Matt 11:28-30)

This invitation has been a very welcome one this week....I just need to get better at accepting it!