Day 33 - Not My Will

by Grace Outlaw

Matthew 26:36-39

And now we approach the point of no return… We all know what is coming. Jesus will soon be arrested, tried, and put to death in the most horrific way. There is a calm before the storm. It’s quiet. It’s night. And Jesus is in the Garden of Gethsemane with his disciples. 

In Matthew 26:36-39 we read:

Then Jesus went with his disciples to a place called Gethsemane, and he said to them, “Sit here while I go over there and pray.” He took Peter and the two sons of Zebedee along with him, and he began to be sorrowful and troubled. 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.”

God, can you imagine Jesus’ despair? Jesus is at his most vulnerable. He literally tells his closest friends he is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death. Jesus is still fully divine, but I also feel like this is a perfect example of the fullness of his humanity as well. He experiences intense anguish as he faces the impending crucifixion. Jesus’ prayer reveals his desire for an alternative path, yet he still ultimately submits to God’s plan.

I believe this short passage holds a few powerful lessons:

1. Pray honestly – Jesus openly expresses his feelings to God the Father. Growing up I felt like expressing things like anger or doubt were inappropriate feelings to share with God, but Jesus demonstrated that we can absolutely approach God with our true emotions and desires.

2. Seek persistently – Jesus goes back and prays multiple times (and is consistently let down by his disciples in his time of greatest need, I must add… I hold a bit of a grudge against them for that). But Jesus’ persistence demonstrated the importance of continual communication with God, especially in difficult times.

3. Surrender to God’s will – this one is, no doubt, the toughest. Despite his personal wishes, Jesus prioritizes God’s plan over his own life.

We’ve all experienced situations in our lives where our desires conflict with what we believe to be God’s will. It might be a career decision, a relationship challenge, or a personal struggle. But like Jesus demonstrated in Gethsemane, we can bring our honest feelings to God, seek his guidance persistently, and ultimately surrender our will to God’s, trusting he has a greater plan.

Surrendering to God’s will (thankfully) doesn’t mean that we won’t struggle or have doubts. Even Jesus asked if there was another way. But our faith is demonstrated in our willingness to trust God’s plan, even when it’s difficult – especially when it’s difficult.

What is your garden moment? Is it a time of decision or struggle? It’s tough. Incredibly so. But I want to encourage you, if you are in a garden moment right now, look to Jesus’ example. Have the courage to say, “not my will, but yours, be done.” Trust in God’s perfect love and wisdom.