And he came out and went, as was his custom, to the Mount of Olives, and the disciples followed him. And when he came to the place, he said to them, “Pray that you may not enter into temptation.” And he withdrew from them about a stone’s throw, and knelt down and prayed, saying, “Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me. Nevertheless, not my will, but yours, be done.” And there appeared to him an angel from heaven, strengthening him. And being in agony he prayed more earnestly; and his sweat became like great drops of blood falling down to the ground. And when he rose from prayer, he came to the disciples and found them sleeping for sorrow, and he said to them, “Why are you sleeping? Rise and pray that you may not enter into temptation.” Luke 22:39-46 ESV
We pray. Cry. And plead for God to intervene. We believe our mustard seed of faith can move the mountain. But that bill is still due. His diagnosis has not changed. Our relationship is still broken. Her grief still comes in wave after breathtaking wave. We wonder if we are doing something wrong.
Before we question ourselves further, let’s consider Jesus on the Mount of Olives.
He went out to pray, as was His custom. He withdrew from the disciples and kept His prayer a private conversation with His Father. An angel from heaven strengthened Him, and still He was in agony. Being in agony, He prayed more earnestly, more intensely, more deeply, until His sweat became like drops of blood.
His anguish didn’t disappear.
Strengthening from God is not a divine eraser; sometimes, it’s a well of sustenance. How often have hurting people been told they need more faith or more prayer? But Jesus prayed, was strengthened, and was still in agony. Pouring out deep emotions to our Father and not getting relief is not a sign of hidden sin or a lack of faith. We must be careful not to place spiritual burdens on someone who is already carrying a heavy weight. Unanswered prayer is not proof that God doesn’t care.
What is causing anguish for you?
Maybe it’s a hospital bill, or a loved one in a facility you can barely afford. Perhaps it’s a relationship strained to the breaking point. Maybe it’s grief over a sudden or hurtful loss. Some anguish we have to pray our way through.
And even when we pray, the answer may not be what we want. Whatever your anguish looks like, bring it to God. Sometimes His answer is “Let Me help you through the pain.” “I know it hurts, and it’s hard, and I’m here with you.” “I know you’ve reached your limit, but we haven’t reached Mine.”
So we keep praying, because that’s where we find strength. Jesus went out to pray, as was His custom. He kept praying. And He encouraged others to pray.
Question for Reflection:
What custom (habit) are we using instead of prayer to find strength in our agony?
*For those of you who prayer walk, ask yourself what habit gives you strength. Listen to what the Holy Spirit reveals to you. For your copy of this week’s screensaver, click here. And to access all of my YouVersion Bible App devotional plans, click here.