…. we set our hearts at rest in his presence:  If our hearts condemn us, we know that God is greater than our heart, and he knows everything… Dear friends, if our hearts do not condemn us, we have confidence before God and receive from him anything ….
1 John 3: 19ff

I like these words today particularly well: our hearts are soothed in His presence. A friend of mine is in a difficult situation that worries me greatly. How good it is, I can reassure my heart in His presence! – I therefore continue to pray for my friend, describe the situation, which is quite hopeless, and say to Him: He probably will not get out of it. Unless … And it occurred to me how many circumstances where God acted on our prayer and rescued one person. Yes he can!! I noticed how God thinks about the matter: My friend is important to him. He has not forgotten how much my friend stood up for the Lord. He will not leave him to himself and the enemy. I cannot help him, but He can! And I calmed my heart in His presence. Yes, He wants and can.
We really can reassure our hearts in His presence. Whatever concerns we have or whether our guilt is tormenting us again or if anyone accuses us: He wants us in His hands. I open myself to him, then flows His love and His power of belief. Then my heart is really quiet. I cannot even have faith through my own efforts, but He shows himself to my heart that it is easy to believe him. This interaction is wonderful: I open my heart with its burden on Him and He causes faith, forgiveness, love, peace.
Have you noticed it before? Whenever a shadow lies over our hearts, we have while praying with no confidence towards God. If I quietly harbor revenge, do not want to forgive, or if I have a bad conscience because of something, if I feel unclean or if worries oppress me, I cannot pray with faith. If I am pure and free, then I can move mountains in the faith; – Then I have the greatest confidence in God.
Therefore, let us not stop to prayer until we have this confidence. We do not want to stand before God to stay with our burdens of guilt and anxiety, but with Him be connected and have fellowship. And if we find it hard to believe that Jesus has forgiven all the sin, we will remain in Him until He has put us the certainty of forgiveness into the heart. And if our worries weigh so heavy, let us stay before him until we believe that He accepts these mountains of worries. Only when our hearts in His presence has become quiet, we can happily go on our way again. He is there to listen to the prayer!

Thank you, Jesus, for all your acts of redemption! Even the bad conscience you want to redeem myself of. Yes, I come to you, for in me is all full of unrest. Please, my heart calm by your presence!

Bible Reading Today: James 4: 1 – 12