I don't know what's going on in your life. I don't know what valley or hard road you're on. I have no idea what trouble or trial you're facing. But I know the Lord has been faithful to you. He answered your prayers and encouraged you by His Word and Spirit through many adversities.
Yes, our Christian life is full of hardships. We struggle against sin and temptation day after day. As I grow to maturity and holiness, I realize that temptations also grow stronger. And sometimes the battle can be tiresome and lonely. One sobering reality in our Christian life is that as we seek to live godly lives, we are going to face many trials.
Whether at home, in school or in the workplace, God has designed these trials not to put us down or to destroy our faith. In His providence God sends them for our good, that is, to strengthen our faith in Him.
God's goal for us is to become like Christ, in His obedience and faithfulness. His desire is to make your faith and mine as fine as gold through the fire of suffering. God purges us from our dross so we might come out pure and pleasing in His sight.
We have many weaknesses that need to be dealt with continually so we can grow more obedient to God. But holiness does not come easy and it doesn't come fast. It's by patient endurance, perseverance, and much fervent prayer through many trials that we move forward in the Christian life.
The author of the book of Hebrews is aware of this. So for several times he calls his readers to persevere in the faith and draw strength from God through prayer.
He says, "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" (Heb. 4:15, 16).
In these verses, the author of Hebrews deals with the issue of fervent and bold prayer as an effective means to grow in holiness and to mature in the faith. He is aware of his readers' tiresome battle against sin and temptation and against various trials in the Christian life, compounded by the reality of their own weaknesses.
Thus, using the double negative (“For we DO NOT HAVE a high priest who is NOT ABLE…but one…,” emphasis mine), he urges his readers to draw near God for WE DO HAVE a high priest in the presence of God. God calls us, weary and troubled as we are, to approach His throne of grace through our high priest, Jesus Christ, for in drawing near His throne "we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need."
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