SA 85:7{SA 65:7{People do not come for what they do not want. Until the Holy Spirit shows us our need of mercy, and puts reality into the prayer, "Have mercy upon us miserable sinners," we shall never come to the throne of grace to obtain mercy.
He that into God's kingdom comes,
Must enter by this door.
So, if you have never yet felt that you could sincerely say, "God be merciful to me a sinner" and therefore have never yet felt particularly anxious to come to the throne of grace to obtain it, I would urgently entreat you to pray, "Lord, show me myself!" When the Holy Spirit answers that prayer, you will be eager enough to come and obtain mercy! It will be the one thing then that you will be particularly anxious about.
Return!
O wanderer from My side!
Soon droops each blossom of the darkening wild,
Soon melts each meteor which thy steps beguiled,
Soon is the cistern dry which thou halt hewn,
And thou wilt weep in bitterness full soon.
Return! ere gathering night shall shroud the way
Thy footsteps yet may tread, in this accepted day.