Facing Something Big

Mark 14: ³² Then they came to a place which was named Gethsemane; and He said to His disciples, “Sit here while I pray.” ³³ And He took Peter, James, and John with Him, and He began to be troubled and deeply distressed. ³⁴ Then He said to them, “My soul is exceedingly sorrowful, even to death. Stay here and watch.”

³⁵ He went a little farther, and fell on the ground, and prayed that if it were possible, the hour might pass from Him. ³⁶ And He said, “Abba, Father, all things are possible for You. Take this cup away from Me; nevertheless, not what I will, but what You will.”

============

“You are being let go” were the unfamiliar words I heard for the first time in my career. “What?!” was my first reaction. I had no idea what to do. Trying to resolve what went wrong was impossible as they handed me awards and accolades while I walked out the door.

• ·         There have been times in my life when I have had to face something big.
• ·         There have been times in my life when it seemed like nothing was going right.
• ·         There have been times in my life when I thought the world was going to end because I put so much into a single direction.

“MY soul is exceedingly sorrowful, even unto death”, Jesus says. HE was facing tremendous pressure and cried out in sorrow. “FATHER take this away from ME!” was HIS cry. Sometimes I feel the same.

• ·         GOD says to me “I have a greater plan than the pain you are going through.”
• ·         GOD says to me “I understand your pain because I went through tremendous pain for you.”
• ·         GOD says to me “Cry out to me when you feel any pain or sorrow and I promise to comfort you.”

JESUS does a strange thing in the middle of HIS pain and sorrow. HE doesn’t give up on HIS journey rather HE gives up HIS struggle with what HE was facing. “”Take this cup away from ME; nevertheless, not what I will, but what YOU will” was the release of trying to steer things in HIS direction. In other words “Take this, it is YOURS.”

JESUS was about to take on the blame for every sin and no other human could help HIM. Even HIS own FATHER would turn HIS back on JESUS for a moment, but not for eternity. There was no saving JESUS from death. I am glad HE understands when I am full of sorrow. HE comforts me.

• ·         Are you full of pain?
• ·         Did you just get some extremely bad news?
• ·         Can you cry out to GOD with a purpose so you can give your pain to HIM rather than holding onto it?