When you meet someone that you have always wanted to meet or are attracted to, you typically get a little nervous and anxious when you are in their company. You look for opportunities to meet and spend time with each other. And, over time, you learn more about each other and hopefully, a loving, fruitful and lasting friendship is established.
Friendships take work.
You wanted to know more about this person, so you did the work. You made the effort to spend time together, you conversed and enjoyed each other’s company. You didn’t know exactly how it all was going to turn out, but you did the work with a positive expectancy (i.e. hope and faith). The same skills you used in the natural are the same skills you will use in establishing/strengthening your relationship with God.
You have the skills, you just have to use them in a different way.
You have the desire for a better relationship with God, you just have to change your negative expectancy (i.e., fear, hurt, shame, guilt) to the positive (i.e., hope and faith). Any negative and self defeating thoughts are simply excuses and distractions to keep you away from what you ultimately desire – love, understanding, joy, and peace.
God has been calling you to come closer. We are all His creation, and He calls all of us to do His will. Some of us choose to listen and some do not. I encourage you to ignore your fears and negative thoughts and press to DO THE WORK which is – spend time alone with God your Creator, talk to Him, tell him what is on your heart and listen. As you spend more time with God and apply His Word to your everyday life, you will see changes in you and your life.