Hebrews 4:14-16: “Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has ascended into heaven,[a] Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin. Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.”
This verse gives me so much comfort as someone who finds himself struggling with the temptations of this world. It’s so easy to get down on yourself as you find yourself, yet again, sitting in your pew on Sunday morning, confessing some of the same stuff from last week. It’s easy to want to slip in the “God, do you have any idea of what it’s like trying to sift through all of this?”
Fortunately, in Hebrews, we are reminded that He does know what it’s like. He would become man by sending His Son to live on the same earth that you and I are on right now. You say, “Yeah, but, things were different back then.” Fashion might have looked different. They probably didn’t have Walgreens and Sunoco on every other corner, but their world wasn’t that much different than ours. Social and family pressures were just as evident then as they are now.
Anyway, we can’t use that line because Jesus was tempted everyway we are, and in some cases, more so. Can you imagine being tried, beaten, ridiculed and sentenced to death when you know darn well you are innocent? We would be fuming for justice and even revenge on those wrongful accusers. Not Jesus. He asked that they be forgiven!
I wish I had some great line or quote to share in hopes of enlightening you with some great way to not feel guilty every time you say your confessions. I don’t. But God wrote it in Hebrews 4:14 – 16. What a blessing. What else can I say? Take comfort in knowing that God sent Jesus for ALL of our sins. He knows how hard it is to avoid those temptations, and knows that we fail at times. Jesus didn’t fail, so there.
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