Scripture Focus (NKJV)
“Therefore, brethren, having boldness to enter the Holiest by the blood of Jesus… let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith…”
— Hebrews 10:19, 22
Devotional
Some of us don’t struggle to believe in God.
We struggle to approach Him freely. This especially has been me recently. I struggled to stay consistent in my quiet times as school ramped up this semester and every time i opened my mouth to pray i felt so distant from this God i was coming to that i wasn’t worthy of his presence. But as we read further in this devotional we’d realize these are lies from the enemy attempting to keep us further from our great God.
It’s not that we doubt who He is. It’s not that we’ve turned away or stopped caring. In fact, many of us deeply desire to be close to Him. But when it actually comes to drawing near—when it’s time to pray, to sit with Him, to be honest in His presence—there is sometimes a hesitation we don’t fully understand.
It can feel subtle.
A quiet sense that we should be more focused first.
More disciplined.
More “together.”
So instead of coming boldly, we come carefully.
And for those of us in healthcare training, this hesitation can feel even more natural. We are constantly being evaluated. We are trained to prepare before we present, to study before we speak, to make sure we are ready before we step forward. That mindset becomes so ingrained that we begin to carry it into our relationship with God.
We feel like we need to prepare ourselves before approaching Him.
But Hebrews 10 speaks directly into that mindset and gently, yet powerfully, removes it.
It tells us that we have boldness to enter the Holiest—not because we have reached a certain level of consistency, not because we have performed well spiritually, but because of the blood of Jesus. The access we have to God is not based on our readiness. It is based on what Christ has already done.
And that means something very important for us.
We are not invited to come to God once we feel ready.
We are invited to come because the way has already been made.
I remember a season where I noticed how often I would delay coming to God. Not intentionally, but subtly. I would tell myself I would pray later when I could focus more, feel less tired, or spend time with Him when I felt more settled. But later would turn into hours, and sometimes into the end of the day. And when I finally did come, there was often a quiet sense of distance that I couldn’t quite explain. It won’t flow like it always did, because i was short on time i’d rush the worship part of me dweling in his presence or just pry a very short prayer literally less than a min and go to bed, sometimes out of guilt but also out of the perception that God understood how tired and busy I was.
It wasn’t that God had moved.
It was that I had been approaching Him with hesitation instead of confidence.
Hebrews 10 reminds us that this is not how we are meant to live.
Because under the old system, access to God was restricted. Only the high priest could enter the most sacred place, and even then, it was limited and cautious. There was distance. There was separation. There was a constant awareness that access was not freely available.
But that is no longer the reality we are living in.
Through Jesus, the veil has been torn.
The barrier has been removed.
The invitation is open.
And not just open—but open with boldness.
For those of us walking through demanding seasons, this truth is deeply empowering.
You do not have to wait until you feel spiritually “on track” to come to God.
You do not have to fix your thoughts before you pray.
You do not have to become more consistent before you draw near.
You can come now.
Not carefully.
Not hesitantly.
But confidently.
Because your access is not fragile.
It is secure.
You are not approaching God based on your condition.
You are approaching Him based on Christ’s finished work.
The enemy doesn’t care that you’re too tired to pray, the attacks of your mind and other means will come anyway, but making the conscious effort to approach God anyway even if its not perfect is always the right decision. Sometimes even just starting with worship music and coming into his presence with praise sets the tone for the rest of your quiet time with him and God takes over from there and it flows. no guilt, just worship of God.
when that truth settles into your heart, something begins to shift.
You stop delaying.
You stop hesitating.
You stop treating His presence like something you have to qualify for.
And instead, you begin to draw near—with honesty, with confidence, and with the assurance that you are fully welcomed.
Reflection Questions
Have we been approaching God with hesitation instead of confidence?
In what ways might we feel like we need to “prepare” ourselves before coming to Him?
What would it look like for us to draw near to God freely, without pressure or delay?
Application
Today, take a moment to come before God without waiting for the “right” feeling or the “right” moment. Whether you feel focused or distracted, confident or uncertain, come as you are. Practice drawing near with confidence, trusting that you are fully welcomed.
Prayer
Lord, thank You for giving us bold access to You through Jesus. Help us to release the hesitation we sometimes feel and teach us to come to You with confidence. Remind us that we do not have to earn our way into Your presence. Let us draw near with honesty and assurance, knowing that You have already made a way.
Amen.