Boldly Approach the Throne

This year, I’ve been digging into many various areas of my life to receive healing in places I’ve experienced hurts. This year, I’ve also been catching myself routinely distracting myself from these things via social media, entertainment, getting to chores I’ve been putting off, etc. Boiled down, I’ve found that as I’ve dug into uncomfortable issues in my life, I tend to distance myself from those very things. Ever relate? (Who are we kidding, who hasn’t been there?) 

This problem isn’t new. Distraction didn’t originate with social media, humans have been running from difficulty since the Garden. The thing is, this doesn’t actually solve anything, right? All it manages to do is maybe delay addressing the issue, all the while giving it more time to fester into something worse.

We know this isn’t healthy, yet we find ourselves in it day after day. So what can we do? Jesus has an incredible option for us.

In Hebrews 4, there’s an audacious declaration. The scripture talks about how no matter what we do or don’t do, God sees the truth of who we are and what we’re going through (verse 12). After this, He doesn’t say we ought to be ashamed of what state He finds us in, rather, this passage follows:

“Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need." (Hebrews 4:14–16)

Not only does Jesus know where we’re at, He understands what it’s like to be there. He knows what it’s like to struggle, but even more so, He invites us to come to Him when we’re in the thick of it, not after we’ve dealt with the worst of it on our own! At the first sign of struggle, we are welcomed to turn to our loving, understanding Savior, not pressured to avoid Him.

When we catch ourselves running from our problems, we have the opportunity to turn from that pattern, instead running to our Savior. As we do this, He heals those parts of us that are in distress and fear, and welcomes us into a renewed, trusting relationship with Him.

So, I invite you to join me in learning to run towards Him when the going gets tough, rather than away. You’ll find love and peace you never could have imagined.