By Life Coach Nancy

The Cry We’re All Afraid to Make

There’s a lie we’ve been told, maybe by religion, maybe by well-meaning people, maybe by our own shame—that goes something like this:

“God is too busy for your small problems. Save your prayers for the big stuff. Don’t bother Him with trivial needs. Other people have it worse. You should be able to handle this on your own.”

So we shrink our prayers. We minimize our pain. We apologize to God for our need of Him.

We run to everyone and everything else before we run to Him.

We run to our friends (who get tired of hearing about it).
We run to social media (looking for validation from strangers).
We run to shopping, food, wine, Netflix, work—anything to numb the ache.
We run to our own strength (until we’re completely depleted).

And all the while, God is saying: “Why won’t you come to Me?”

Today, I want to take you into one of the most tender, intimate passages in all of Scripture—Isaiah 49:13-18—where God reveals His heart for you in a way that might completely shatter everything you thought you knew about His love.

Who Wrote Isaiah and Why It Matters

The Prophet Isaiah: A Man Who Knew Suffering

The book of Isaiah was written by the prophet Isaiah (whose name means “Yahweh is salvation”) during one of the darkest periods in Israel’s history, around 740-681 BC.

Isaiah ministered during:

• Political upheaval and instability
• The threat of Assyrian invasion
• Moral and spiritual decay in Israel
• A time when God’s people felt abandoned, forgotten, and hopeless

Sound familiar?

Isaiah wrote to a people who were asking the same questions we ask:

• “Does God even see me?”
• “Has He forgotten about me?”
• “Why isn’t He answering my prayers?”
• “Maybe I’m too broken for His love.”

Isaiah’s job was to remind God’s people of something they’d forgotten: God’s love is not based on their performance, their worthiness, or their circumstances. It’s based on His character.

And in Isaiah 49, God pulls back the curtain and lets us see His heart in one of the most intimate, maternal images in all of Scripture.

God’s Heart Revealed

Let’s read it together:

“Sing for joy, O heavens! Rejoice, O earth! Burst into song, O mountains! For the LORD has comforted His people and will have compassion on His afflicted ones.

But Zion said, ‘The LORD has forsaken me, the Lord has forgotten me.’

‘Can a mother forget the baby at her breast and have no compassion on the child she has borne? Though she may forget, I will not forget you! See, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands; your walls are ever before me.

Your children hasten back, and those who laid you waste depart from you. Lift up your eyes and look around; all your children gather and come to you. As surely as I live,’ declares the LORD, ‘you will wear them all as ornaments; you will put them on, like a bride.’”
(Isaiah 49:13-18, NIV)

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What God Is Really Saying

Verse 13: The Call to Celebrate

“Sing for joy, O heavens! Rejoice, O earth! Burst into song, O mountains! For the LORD has comforted His people and will have compassion on His afflicted ones.”

God starts with a celebration. Why? Because He has not abandoned His people. He has not forgotten. He has compassion for those who are afflicted.

The word “compassion” here in Hebrew is racham; it’s the same root as “womb.” It’s a deep, maternal, gut-level compassion. The kind of mother feels for her child.

God is saying: “My love for you is womb-deep. Visceral. Unshakeable.”

Verse 14: The Accusation We All Make

“But Zion said, ‘The LORD has forsaken me, the Lord has forgotten me.’”

This is the cry of every person who’s ever felt abandoned by God.

• “Where were You when I was being abused?”
• “Where were You when my marriage fell apart?”
• “Where were You when I lost my job, my health, my hope?”
• “I prayed and prayed and nothing changed. You must not care about me.”

God doesn’t get defensive. He doesn’t shame you for feeling this way. Instead, He responds with the most tender image in all of Scripture.

Verse 15: The Mother’s Love (And Beyond)

“Can a mother forget the baby at her breast and have no compassion on the child she has borne? Though she may forget, I will not forget you!”

Let’s pause here because this is HUGE.

God compares His love to a nursing mother’s love for her baby. This is the strongest, most instinctive bond known to humanity. A mother’s body literally responds to her baby’s cry—her milk lets down, her heart races, every fiber of her being is attuned to that child’s needs.

And God says, “My love for you is like that. Actually, it’s MORE than that.”

Because even a mother—in rare, tragic circumstances—might forget or abandon her child. But God? Never.

“Though she may forget, I will not forget you.”

Your needs are not trivial to Him. Your pain is not too small. Your prayers are not an inconvenience.

Verse 16: Engraved on His Hands

“See, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands; your walls are ever before me.”

This image is staggering.

In ancient times, people would tattoo or engrave reminders on their hands, things they never wanted to forget, people they were committed to remembering.

God is saying: “I have engraved YOU on My hands. Every time I look at My hands, I see you. I think about you. Your struggles are ever before Me.”

And here’s the prophetic depth: Centuries later, Jesus would have literal nail scars in His hands, engraved wounds that prove the depth of God’s love for you.

You are not forgotten. You are literally engraved on the hands of God.

Verses 17-18: The Restoration Promise

“Your children hasten back, and those who laid you waste depart from you. Lift up your eyes and look around; all your children gather and come to you. As surely as I live, declares the LORD, you will wear them all as ornaments; you will put them on, like a bride.”

God is promising restoration. What was lost will be returned. What was destroyed will be rebuilt. The shame you’ve carried will be turned into beauty.

You will wear your story like a bride wears her jewels—not with shame, but with dignity and beauty.

Intimacy with God Belongs to Those Who Fear Him

What Does It Mean to “Fear God”?

When the Bible talks about “fearing God,” it’s not about being terrified of Him. It’s about having a deep, reverential awe, recognizing who He is and surrendering to His authority and love.

Fearing God means:

• Recognizing you can’t fix yourself on your own
• Surrendering control and trusting His plan
• Running TO Him instead of FROM Him
• Believing He is who He says He is
• Choosing dependency on Him over self-sufficiency

The opposite of fearing God is trusting in yourself—believing you have to handle everything alone, that you’re too much for God, that you should be able to figure this out without Him.

And that’s exhausting, isn’t it?

Running to God Instead of Running Away

Example 1: Maria’s Financial Crisis

The Situation:
Maria, a single mom of two, lost her job unexpectedly. Bills were piling up. She had $47 in her bank account and rent was due in a week.

Her First Instinct:
Panic. Shame. “I should have saved more. I should have been more responsible. God must be punishing me. I can’t bother Him with this,other people have real problems.”

She tried to handle it herself:

• Applied to dozens of jobs (no responses)
• Asked friends for loans (felt humiliated)
• Considered payday loans (would only make things worse)
• Stayed up all night trying to “figure it out”

The Turning Point:
Exhausted and desperate, Maria finally broke down and prayed—not a pretty, polished prayer, but a raw, ugly cry: “God, I can’t do this. I don’t know what to do. I’m scared. Please help me.”

What Happened:
Within 48 hours:

• A former colleague reached out with a freelance opportunity
• Her landlord (unexpectedly) offered a payment plan
• A friend brought groceries “just because”
• Peace replaced panic

The Lesson:
Maria learned that God wasn’t waiting for her to prove she could handle it. He was waiting for her to admit she couldn’t—and run to Him first, not last.

Example 2: David’s Battle with Anxiety

The Situation:
David, a successful businessman, was having panic attacks. His anxiety was so severe he couldn’t sleep, couldn’t focus, and was terrified he was losing his mind.

His First Instinct:
Hide it. Push through. “I’m a Christian. I should have peace. This means my faith is weak. I just need to pray harder and try harder.”

He relied on himself:

• Worked longer hours to distract himself
• Drank more to numb the anxiety
• Isolated himself so no one would see his weakness
• Beat himself up for “not being strong enough”

The Turning Point:
At his lowest point, David read Isaiah 49:15-16. He broke down sobbing. “God, I’m engraved on Your hands? Even like this? Even when I’m falling apart?”

He started running TO God instead of trying to fix himself:

• Morning prayers where he brought his anxiety to God (raw and honest)
• Therapy (which he’d avoided because he thought he “should” handle it alone)
• Community (admitting to his small group that he was struggling)

What Happened:
Slowly, over months, the panic attacks lessened. Not because David “tried harder,” but because he stopped trying to be his own savior and let God carry what was too heavy for him.

The Lesson:
God doesn’t shame you for struggling. He invites you to bring your struggles TO Him—not after you’ve cleaned them up, but exactly as they are.

Example 3: Jasmine’s “Trivial” Prayer

The Situation:
Jasmine needed to find childcare for her daughter so she could attend a job interview. It felt “too small” to pray about.

Her First Instinct:
“God has bigger things to worry about. There’s war, famine, real suffering in the world. He doesn’t care about my babysitting problem.”

She tried to solve it herself—calling everyone she knew, stressing out, almost canceling the interview.

The Turning Point:
Her mom said, “Jasmine, if it matters to you, it matters to God. Just ask Him.”

Reluctantly, she prayed: “God, I know this is small, but I need help. Can You provide childcare so I can go to this interview?”

What Happened:
An hour later, her neighbor knocked on her door: “I have the day off tomorrow. Can I watch your daughter? I’d love to spend time with her.”

The Lesson:
No need is too trivial for God. If it matters to you, it matters to Him. He’s not rationing His love and attention like a limited resource.

Our Compassionate God Has Limitless Time and Love

The Lie We Believe:

“God has a limited amount of time, attention, and love. If I use some, there’s less for others. I shouldn’t bother Him with small things.”

The Truth:

God is infinite. His love doesn’t run out. His attention doesn’t deplete. His compassion doesn’t fatigue.

He’s not like us—finite, exhausted, overwhelmed. He’s simultaneously holding galaxies in place AND counting the hairs on your head (Matthew 10:30).

Your “small” need is not competing with someone else’s “big” need.

When you bring your anxiety to God, you’re not taking His attention away from someone’s cancer diagnosis.
When you pray about your finances, you’re not stealing resources from someone in poverty.
When you ask for help with your relationship, you’re not diminishing His care for global crises.

God is not a pie with limited slices. He is an infinite fountain that never runs dry.

Why We Don’t Run to God First

If God’s love is limitless, why do we resist running to Him? Here are the real reasons:

1. We’ve Been Taught to Be “Strong”

“God helps those who help themselves.” (Not actually in the Bible, by the way.)

We’ve been taught that needing help is weakness. That asking for support is shameful. That we should “have it all together.”

But God says the opposite:

“My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” (2 Corinthians 12:9)

Your weakness is not a disqualification. It’s an invitation to experience God’s strength.

2. We’re Afraid He’ll Say No

If we don’t ask, we can’t be disappointed, right?

But here’s the truth:
God’s “no” is not rejection. It’s redirection. And His “wait” is not abandonment. It’s preparation.

He’s not withholding good things to punish you. He’s withholding the wrong things to protect you.

3. We Don’t Think We’re Worthy

“I’ve messed up too much. I haven’t read my Bible in months. I yelled at my kids this morning. I’m not holy enough to approach God.”

Beloved, that’s EXACTLY why you need to run to Him.

You don’t come to God AFTER you’ve cleaned yourself up. You come to Him TO BE cleaned up.

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” (Matthew 11:28)

He doesn’t say, “Come to me after you’ve rested and figured everything out.” He says, “Come to me WEARY. Come to me BURDENED. I’ll give you rest.”

4. We’ve Made God Too Small

We’ve reduced God to a cosmic vending machine:

• Put in good behavior
• Get out blessings
• If nothing comes out, we must have done something wrong

But God is not transactional. He’s relational.

He doesn’t want your performance. He wants your presence. He doesn’t want your perfection. He wants your honesty.

He wants you to run TO Him—messy, broken, needy, desperate—because THAT’s where intimacy happens.

Intimacy with God: What It Actually Looks Like

Intimacy with God is not:

• Perfect prayers
• Constant Bible reading
• Never struggling or doubting
• Having all the answers
• Being “spiritual” enough

Intimacy with God IS:

• Bringing Him your raw, unfiltered thoughts
• Trusting Him with your worst moments
• Believing He loves you even when you can’t feel it
• Running TO Him first instead of as a last resort
• Letting Him carry what you cannot

It’s the difference between:

Religion: “I have to be good enough to approach God.”
Relationship: “I come to God because I’m NOT good enough—and He loves me anyway.”

Religion: “I’ll pray about the big stuff and handle the small stuff myself.”
Relationship: “God, I need You for EVERYTHING—big, small, and in between.”

Religion: “I failed again. God must be so disappointed.”
Relationship: “I failed again. I’m running to God to help me back up.”

How to Start Running to God First

1. Stop Apologizing for Needing Him

You don’t have to preface your prayers with:

• “I’m sorry to bother You, but…”
• “I know this is small, but…”
• “I know You’re busy, but…”

Just come. He’s waiting for you.

2. Bring Him the Mess, Not the Cleaned-Up Version

God already knows what you’re thinking and feeling. You’re not fooling Him with polished prayers.

Pray like the Psalms:

• “God, where are You? I feel abandoned!” (Psalm 22:1)
• “I’m furious and I don’t understand why this is happening!” (Psalm 13)
• “I’m drowning and I need You NOW!” (Psalm 69)

God can handle your honesty. What He can’t work with is your pretense.

3. Ask for the “Small” Things

Practice bringing God your daily needs:

• “Help me find my keys.”
• “Give me patience with my toddler.”
• “Help me know what to say in this conversation.”
• “Provide childcare so I can go to this interview.”

The more you see God show up in the small things, the more you’ll trust Him with the big things.

4. Stop Trying to Earn His Love

You can’t.

You don’t have to.

You already have it.

“But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:8)

He loved you BEFORE you got your life together. He loves you NOW while you’re still a mess. And He’ll love you FOREVER, no matter what.

The Invitation: Will You Run to Him?

God is not standing at a distance, arms crossed, waiting for you to prove yourself.

He’s running toward you.

Like the father in the prodigal son story, He sees you from far off and runs to meet you (Luke 15:20).

He’s not waiting for you to clean up, shape up, or show up perfectly.

He’s waiting for you to just… show up.

Messy.
Broken.
Needy.
Desperate.

That’s when He does His best work.

Final Thought: You Are Engraved on His Hands

Every time God looks at His hands, He sees you.

Every struggle you’re facing, He knows.
Every tear you’ve cried, He’s caught.
Every prayer you’ve whispered, He’s heard.

You are not too much. You are not too broken. You are not bothering Him.

You are engraved on the palms of His hands.

So stop running to everything else.

Run to Him.

Let’s Pray Together

Father God,

Thank You that no need is too small for You. Thank You that You don’t ration Your love or limit Your compassion. Thank You that I am engraved on Your hands that, You think about me, care about me, and see me.

Forgive me for the times I’ve run to everything and everyone else before I’ve run to You. Forgive me for believing my needs are trivial or that I’m bothering You.

Teach me what it means to fear You—not in terror, but in awe. Teach me to depend on You instead of myself. Teach me to bring You the mess, not just the cleaned-up version.

Help me trust that You are who You say You are—limitless, compassionate, present, and deeply in love with me.

I’m running to You today. Catch me.

In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Join Me: Let’s Go Deeper Together

You’re Invited: RAW & REAL Women’s Bible Study – Because We’re Done Pretending

Can I be honest with you for a minute?

I’m tired of Bible studies where everyone shows up with perfect hair, perfect answers, and perfect lives that don’t actually exist.

I’m tired of sitting in circles where “How are you?” is always answered with “I’m blessed!” even when we’re secretly drowning.

I’m tired of pretending that faith means having it all together, never questioning, never struggling, never falling apart.

What if there was a different way?

What if there was a place where you could show up exactly as you are—messy bun, mascara from yesterday, heart in pieces, and be completely, utterly welcome?

What if “I’m struggling” was more valued than “I’m fine”?

What if your questions, your doubts, your raw, unfiltered truth was met with love instead of judgment?

That’s exactly what RAW & REAL is all about.

duarte.coach/bc

You don’t have to carry this alone. God is inviting you to run to Him.

Let’s learn how to do that—together.

See you there, beloved.

Life Coach Nancy 💜

P.S. Read Isaiah 49:15-16 again today. Let it sink in. You are engraved on His hands. He has not forgotten you.

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