Some days, coming before God feels like stepping into a courtroom — every fault laid bare, every weakness magnified. I’ve often carried that heaviness into prayer, as though His presence was a place where I had to brace for disappointment. Yet the more I walk with Him, the more I realise His heart for me is not a judge’s bench, but a garden.

In a courtroom, I’d be measuring myself against impossible standards. In a garden, I’m invited to grow.

Self-reflection in God’s presence becomes grace when I start with His love, not my failures. Before I even ask a question, I breathe in the truth:

From that place of security, I can invite Holy Spirit to walk with me gently, like a dear Friend strolling beside me, pointing out areas in my heart where something tender is starting to grow… or where weeds are crowding the roots. His conviction is never to shame, always to heal.

I’ve learned to ask questions that lift my eyes to His redemptive work:

• Lord, where are You growing something new in me? 🤔

• What lies am I believing that You want to replace with Your truth? 🤔

• How can I partner with You in this area? 🤔

When I see myself as clay in the Potter’s hands or a branch being lovingly pruned, I understand that correction is a form of care. He is shaping me into something beautiful and fruitful.

I close my time in gratitude — not because I have all the answers, but because His patience never runs out, and His promise to finish what He started is unshakable.

💡Reflection:

• When I sit with God, do I expect His face to be stern or smiling?💡

• How might my self-reflection change if I truly believed He delights in me, even as He shapes me? 🤔

🙌Prayer:

Lord, thank You that Your presence is a safe place, a place where I can bring my whole self — the beauty, the brokenness, and the parts still being mended. Help me to see myself through Your eyes, to welcome Your gentle pruning, and to trust that Your correction is rooted in love. Let my heart be a garden where grace grows stronger than guilt. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.