Drawing Near to God's Heart

In times of adversity, we are encouraged to draw near to God: “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” (Heb. 4:16, ESV). This is precisely what Jesus did throughout His earthly ministry. When facing adversity, Jesus chose to focus upon God’s heart rather than His personal desires.

Jesus was tempted in all the same ways as us, yet He was without sin (Heb. 4:15). Given that James teaches, “Temptation comes from our own desires, which entice us and drag us away,” we must conclude that Jesus experienced a full range of emotional responses to adversity, just as we do (James 1:14). The difference being that Jesus refused to succumb to those desires that would have produced sin (James 1:15). Instead, Jesus drew near to God, so as to learn His Father’s heart. In other words, Jesus chose to prioritize the desires of His Father above His own, and He acted accordingly (John 5:30; 12:49).

Jesus’ solution for holiness may sound simple, but it came with great suffering (Heb. 2:18). We can only imagine how intense His personal struggle may have been. After all, the author of Hebrews reminds us that none of us have ever endured temptation to the point of death, the way Jesus did (Heb. 12:4). Indeed, Jesus’ temptation provoked loud cries of pleading and tears (Heb. 5:7–8). So great was His stress and agony that His sweat became great drops of blood (Luke 22:43) Nonetheless, even in this greatest moment of trial, Jesus chose to draw near to His Father, praying, “‘Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me. Nevertheless, not my will, but yours, be done’” (Luke 22:42).

Jesus modelled for us how to effectively overcome our sinful desires. We do this by relinquishing them to God and by embracing God’s heart on every matter. Therefore, let us take full advantage of our access to God and draw near to Him in boldness so that we can learn His heart (Heb. 4:16). Then we will be able to accurately represent God in all things and in all circumstances. Becoming God’s cultural influencers requires that we draw near to God, prayerfully seeking His heart on every matter.

This article comes from Heart of a Forerunner: How to Be a Relevant and Influential Voice in a Wayward Nation