Reach Out

Ever nod your head in agreement but have no idea what the other person is talking about? Early in my career, I was out of my league as a recently graduated psychology major trying to “fake it ‘til you make it” as a bookkeeper/controller. I didn’t want to look like a complete idiot, so I’d nod and tell the accountants, “I’ll send that report to you shortly.” Then, I’d quickly research what an accounts receivable summary was or a trial balance and hold my breath hoping I didn’t send them the wrong one.

Because I didn’t want to look stupid, I couldn’t ask my coworkers or bosses for help, which only increased my isolation. Even after reading tedious accounting books for dummies and working overtime to make up for my inefficiencies, I was always stressed someone might figure out I didn’t have a clue. I hung on to the corporate ladder with a one-fingered tenuous grip, straining to get another hand on the bottom rung, hoping no one would step on my fingers.

Sometimes we see God as far away. We think we can never be good enough or knowledgeable enough. Like my tenuous hold on the ladder rung, we feel we can never truly take hold of Him. We believe we have to pray more, read the Bible more, or serve more in order to draw close to God, but God is closer than we think.

Acts 17:27 says, “God did this so that they would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from any one of us” [emphasis mine]. God is close at hand. He’s there waiting for us to reach out for Him. He’s ready to pull us up into His arms. He accepts us as we are. We don’t need to memorize scripture, pray every day, or go to church on Sundays for God to love us. Those things are for our benefit to grow in wisdom and strength, but they’re not a prerequisite. (I can say from experience, that once you feel God’s love you desire to learn more and want to be around others who share in that same love for God.)

God loves us for who we are. When Jesus was baptized, God said, “this is my son in whom I’m well pleased.” Jesus hadn’t even begun his ministry, and yet, God told Jesus how proud He was of Him. God stands at the door and knocks waiting for you to open up and let him into your heart. There is no stress in receiving His love. There are no insecurities about a love that would enter the depths of hell so as to not be separated from you.

God is right beside you, waiting for you to reach out.

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