Seek Him
Prayer does not begin with effort or obligation, but with relationship. We seek God not to earn His favor, but because He has already drawn near to us.
This reflection is meant to be read alongside Coming Into a Place of Prayer.
If that piece asks how we come to God in prayer, this one asks a more foundational question: why we come at all.
At the center of the Christian faith is not a method, a discipline, or a checklist—but a Person.
The most important thing is to have a living relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ.
Everything about our faith is centered in Him. Christianity is not Jesus plus something else. It is not Jesus plus prayer, Jesus plus study, Jesus plus service. Jesus is God’s plan.
When we ask, “What must I do to become a Christian?” the answer is surprisingly simple:
there is nothing left to do except believe what has already been done.
He did it all.
Paying Attention So We Do Not Drift
The book of Hebrews was written to people who believed—but were slowly drifting.
“In the past God spoke to our forefathers through the prophets… but in these last days He has spoken to us by His Son…” (Hebrews 1:1–3)
The warning that follows is not about rebellion, but neglect:
“We must pay more careful attention… so that we do not drift away.” (Hebrews 2:1)
Drift rarely looks dramatic. It looks like busyness. Fatigue. Subtle distance. We still believe the right things—we just stop responding.
The Weight of the “Oughta’s”
Many of us live under an unspoken list:
I oughta serve more.
I oughta give more.
I oughta pray more, study more, witness more, do more.
Eventually, the weight of those expectations becomes unbearable.
You might say, “I can’t do all of that.”
That’s okay.
You don’t have to do everything. You only have to respond to what He is giving you to do.
Jesus said, “My yoke is easy and My burden is light.” If what we are carrying feels crushing, we may be carrying something He never asked us to pick up.
Responding Instead of Performing
Our calling is not to work harder—it is to respond.
A simple prayer changes everything:
“Lord, I want to respond to You.
I only want to do what You are giving me to do.
What would You have me do today?”
Very often, the answer is not an assignment, but an invitation:
Draw near to Me.
Rest in Me.
Seek Me.
We get busy because we worry.
And we worry because we are insecure in our relationship with Him.
Jesus addresses this directly when He tells us not to worry about provision, clothing, or tomorrow. Our Father already knows what we need.
“Seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” (Matthew 6:33)
Is that naive?
Maybe.
But it is the kind of trust Jesus calls us to.
Seeking Is Not Passive
After saying there is nothing to do to earn salvation, Scripture still calls us to action—but a different kind of action.
Seek Him.
Prayer and worship are not religious duties; they are relational responses. We come honestly and simply:
“Here I am. I need You. I want You. Everything I have, I give to You.”
We seek because there is more available than we realize:
“No eye has seen, no ear has heard… what God has prepared for those who love Him.” (1 Corinthians 2:9)
Jesus promises:
“Ask and keep asking.
Seek and keep seeking.
Knock and keep knocking.” (Matthew 7:7–8)
And in a beautiful reversal of perspective, we are reminded:
“The Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost.” (Luke 19:10)
We are not the only ones seeking.
He is seeking us.
A Companion Truth
Prayer flows naturally when we understand this:
We do not pray to become God’s children.
We pray because we already are.
Seeking is not striving.
It is responding to a God who has already drawn near.
A Closing Prayer
Lord Jesus,
Free me from the weight of the “oughta’s.”
Teach me to rest in what You have already done.
Help me respond—not out of fear or obligation,
but out of love and trust.
Draw me near as I seek You,
and remind me that You have been seeking me all along.
Amen.