When business is going bad and your finances, relationships, health, marriage and a whole bunch of other things seem to be just plain challenging, we sometimes have the tendency to believe that we’re just getting what we deserve! But don't adopt that mentality! I remember at one point we didn’t stick to budget for one particular month, a few years back, and all of a sudden there was more month at the end of our money than money at the end of our month, if you know what I mean. We realized that we had overspent and my first thought was that we were just getting what we deserve now and would just have to push through. But as soon as I had that thought, I said, “no! Jesus took what I deserve. So I get what he deserves! Provision is included through the cross. He took what I deserve so that I get what he deserves.” Even though I have made mistakes in my life and not just in the area of finances, but in other areas, too, I just decided I'm not going to accept what I deserve because I am in Christ and I want what Jesus deserves. I've made mistakes. I realized that, but I He took what I deserve on the cross so that I can get what He deserves! We didn't tell anyone that we didn't have as much money as we usually do, or that we were struggling, and you know what? God provided and we never lacked once! And that's awesome! We need to learn to rely more on his grace instead of relying on our own performance.
And that doesn't give us an invitation to now going live recklessly and not be a good steward. But it just shows us that even when we do live recklessly, and even when we're not good stewards, God provides for us. And he wants to, if we would just believe in his goodness and rely on his grace.
Hebrews 4:16 says, “let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in our time of need.”
The first thing I want to bring out here is that in our time of need, we need to come boldly to the throne of grace. Most of us are scared to approach God in our time of need because we feel like we don't deserve help or an audience with God. We feel like we don't deserve the answer to our prayers, but this scripture is showing us that, hey, we can come boldly to the throne of grace.
Grace, meaning you're going to get treated better than you deserve. That is powerful. One of the images that I have with this versus that God is waiting; the throne of grace is waiting for you; God is waiting for you to come! When are you going to come and obtain mercy and find grace to help you? When are you going to come to God? When are you going to start to draw from his grace to be able to empower you to get out of the situation that you're in? When are you going to come to him and receive what he's got for you and is freely offering to you? God's waiting on you. You're not waiting on God, okay? He has already provided for you! Ephesians 1:3 says that we are blessed with all spiritual blessings in Christ. Because you're in Christ Jesus, you have already been blessed with everything that you could ever need for life and for godliness.
We have got to realize that at the throne of grace we are always getting treated better than we deserve! It says “that we may obtain mercy.” That means there's mercy to be obtained! “That we might find grace” – there is grace to be found! But we need to come boldly! There's a boldness with faith. A confident expectation that what God says is true. If you really believe in the goodness of God, then then you will boldly come to God and find the answer to your prayers. He's got the answer for your business which is struggling or your finances, which are in a mess, or for your troubled relationships or for your failing health. Whatever the situation is, he's got the answer for it and all he's waiting for is an invitation to just get involved in your life.
You don't have to do it alone. He wants to help you with it. Yes, things might be hard, things might be difficult and burdensome and overwhelming, but the truth of the matter is that nothing is too difficult for God! Your situation is not without hope! And so as long you're breathing, there's hope. So just look to God and receive from him what he wants to give you. He wants to give you the wisdom that you need. He wants to give you the power that you need. He wants to give you the provision that you need, that healing that you need. He wants to give you what you need and help you get out of the challenging circumstance and into a place where you're living in an abundant life – and we’re not just talking about finances, but an abundant life of joy, of peace, and of satisfaction – that's what he's got for you! Start believing in his goodness and receive what he's got for you.