Then he said to them, “My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me.” Going a little farther, he fell with his face to the ground and prayed, “My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will.”
Matthew 26:38-39
“Yet not as I will, but as You will.” Jesus chose to speak the most powerful words we can speak to God in light of our circumstances. These words blew away the desires of His human nature so that He could move forward, actively participating with the Father in His rescue plan through the power of the Holy Spirit living inside of Him. Was this easy for Jesus? Is this easy for us? No!! It was not, and it is not easy, but oh so necessary!
“My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death.” “He fell with His face to the ground and prayed, ‘My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me.'” These are feelings, actions, and words born from a desperate and overwhelmed heart. Jesus was not only facing the pain, suffering, and humiliation of His impending death on the cross, he was also facing all of our sins, over the course of humanity, being thrust upon His perfect, Holy, God nature that cannot be where sin is. We cannot even begin to comprehend the level of suffering Jesus experienced as He died. Oh Jesus, Thank You!
As always, our Lord Jesus Christ is setting the example for us to follow. This time in the middle of His most desperate hour. If you’re not in tough circumstances now, you will be. It’s the way of this broken life we live. Let’s be prepared, with God’s strength, to follow Christ’s example of, “Not my will, but Yours be done,” in every situation we’re either in now, or that’s coming our way in the future.
Jesus set another heartwarming example in the Garden of Gethsemane. Even though Jesus knew it was God’s plan and will for Him to walk into the horrendous circumstances coming His way, He still prayed and asked God to provide a way out of the circumstances. This is so beautiful because it shows us that God doesn’t get angry with us when we ask Him to release us from unwanted circumstances. Even if He knows the unwanted situation is something we need to go through, God still wants us to be honest with Him, come to Him, and then walk with Him, in complete surrender, through the trial. This is the most difficult thing we’re called to do, but the most beneficial thing too.
James 1:2-4, 12 shows us the benefits and promises, “Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him.”
God knows that trials, when persevered through *with Him,* will make us, His dear children, mature and complete. After we’ve persevered through this life with God, we will be blessed by receiving the crown of life, and will get to live with our Heavenly Father forever.
This way of living with our Heavenly Father makes sense, especially when we look at how we raise our own children. We see the things our children don’t want, but need in order to grow and mature. So, even when they complain and want us to release them from their “trial,” we walk through it with them so they can receive the benefits and blessings of growth and maturity.
Scripture Inspired Prayer
Dear God, Thank You for listening, with a loving heart, to me as I complain about, and ask to be released from the unwanted, sometimes horrendous and tragic, circumstances that come my way. You completely understand because of what Jesus had to go through as He died on the cross. You allowed Him to go through that horrible death because I needed to be rescued from my sin. My heart is so overwhelmed with thanksgiving for Your Gift, Poured Out! But I still hate it when it’s my turn to go through the trial. But right now, because of Jesus’ example in that Garden of Gethsemane, I choose to pray, “Not my will, but Yours be done, Holy Father.” Come and be my strength as I persevere through the pain and suffering of my trials. Teach me Your ways through the trial (Name the specific trial here.), so I can become mature and complete in Christ Jesus. Thank You for giving me the promise of eternity with You! What joy this brings to my heart. I love You forever and ever!
