Don’t Just Come to Offload
God wants your heart, not just your help list
Beloved Friend,
Some days ago, I found myself in prayer. Not singing or pacing, just sitting still, thanking God, remembering His goodness, calling Him beautiful names, telling Him how kind He is. Then repeating the cycle again. Just enjoying Him.
I had things I needed to talk to Him about, but in that moment, I didn’t want to rush. I just wanted to be with Him.
Then this thought tried to sneak in:
“You’ve spent so much time doing this. Better table your requests now before you lose strength.”
And just like that, I felt a nudge in my spirit, almost like a loving rebuke:
“It’s perfectly fine to dwell in My presence. You don’t always have to ‘do’ something. You can simply be with Me.”
That moment was such a wake-up call.
Sometimes we treat prayer like a task or a to-do list. Even in private moments, we’re thinking of what to ask next, what burden to offload, what breakthrough to claim. But have we forgotten that God actually wants us? Not just our needs, but us.
The One who sees the thoughts of our hearts already knows what we need before we ask. Of course, He still tells us to present our requests and cast our cares; He welcomes that. But those things were never meant to come before relationship.
Imagine someone who always checks in with you, but it’s only ever to ask for help. They might even start the message with a quick “how are you?” but you know it’s not real concern, it’s just polite packaging before a request.
It’s not always bad. We’ve all done it before, and we’ve all received those messages too. But when it’s someone you love deeply, someone you desire more than a surface relationship with, it starts to sting.
Because there’s no genuine interest in you. No desire to know how you’re doing, what you’re thinking, what’s on your heart. Just needs. Just burdens. Just requests.
That kind of pattern can get tiring, even for us as humans. And I think that’s what the Lord was showing me.
If we, as people, can feel the weight of being constantly needed but rarely enjoyed, how much more the God who formed our hearts and longs to be close to us?
Worship doesn’t always have to be loud. Sometimes it’s just sitting still, saying, “God, I love You. I honor You. Thank You.” It’s resting in who He is before rushing to what we want. It’s showing Him that He is not a means to an end. He is the end.
I thought of Mary and Martha; two sisters who welcomed Jesus into their home. While Martha was busy serving, Mary just sat at His feet, soaking in His words. And Jesus said, “Mary has chosen what is better”. He didn’t say Martha’s service was bad, but He honored Mary’s stillness.
Because real love lingers.
God is not tired of your needs. He’s not annoyed by your prayers. But He does desire more than constant transactions. He wants real friendship. One that isn’t always in a hurry to ask, but is content to just be with Him.
Sometimes, the most powerful part of your time with God won’t be what you said. It’ll be what you felt while sitting in His presence.
So don’t be afraid to take your time. You’re not wasting it when you’re with Him. Even when your heart is heavy, even when requests are pressing, take a moment to just adore Him. Speak His names. Remember His goodness. Thank Him again. Repeat.
He’s not keeping score of how fast you get to the point. He’s just happy you came.
With thoughts of kindness,
ABBA’s Shofar