The first question God had for the first man was, "Where are you?" (Gen.3:9) Adam and Eve heard the sound of the Lord God and they hid from Him. BUT, God called out: "Where are you?"
Adam and Eve hid because they had disobeyed God. They no longer felt comfortable in God's presence. I remember driving home one day from my Bible class. The sun was shining, the sky was clear and blue and life was good. I had just spent 2 hours immersed in God's word. I was singing along with a praise and worship cd and I felt SO spiritually alive! So close to God! Suddenly, a motorist passed my car on the two lane highway and pulled in front of me and slowed down. As soon as the left lane was clear, I passed him and resumed going the legal speed limit. AGAIN, this motorist sped up, flew by me, then pulled in front of my car AGAIN and slowed down to what seemed like barely a crawl. Something came over me. I put the pedal to the metal and gunning my car, I zoomed past this "jerk" with a vengeance! In the midst of my fit of anger, I "heard" a quiet Voice: "What are you doing, Jan?" I wasn't singing praise songs now. And I sure didn't feel close to God anymore. What kind of Christian was I if I could be praising God one minute and the next minute "commit murder" in my heart? What kind of Bible student, what kind of worshiper, what kind of child of God was I?
So, I hid from God. I didn't pray for days. I felt I couldn't come to God because the real me was a hopeless hypocrit. Maybe I was just too bad to be good.
As a child of God, that is how we often feel when we have sinned or done that which is not pleasing to God. Our guilt makes us want to hide from the only One who can forgive us of that sin! Days after my "road rage", I laid prone on the floor of my living room and cried out to God. "Help me, Lord, I am dirty. What is wrong with me that I cannot stay right with you? I don't want to sin against You, but I sin anyway! Help me, Lord!" God spoke to my heart: "I AM your Righteousness." JESUS is my Righteousness! I, in fact, do not have ANY righteousness of my own. It is Christ in me that is my Righteouness! (Rom. 3:22-23 & 2Cor. 5:21) God wants you and me to come to Him and seek forgiveness and learn and "GROW in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ..."(2Peter 3:18) and THEN encourage others. "Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus." (Rom.8:1)
So don't hide. God knows where you are. "Come to Me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light." (Matt. 11:28-30)