From my reading in Luke 22:31-46 in the One Year New Testament.
It’s Too Hard…
We all have had times in our lives where we have said, “It’s too hard.” Maybe it’s a paper, test, trying to find time for Bible reading, work stress; we tell ourselves “it’s too hard!”
In this story, we see the example of Jesus not falling into the temptation to say “It’s too hard.”
Jesus was about to face the most difficult 24hrs of his entire life! Jesus was going to willingly face the most brutal beatings, mocking, floggings, and torturous death possible. Not only that, but he would have all of the world’s sin placed on his shoulders and be temporarily separated from the Father, with whom he has enjoyed perfect fellowship.
If anyone had an excuse to say “It’s too hard,” Jesus did. But instead of saying that, this is what Jesus prayed to God.
“Father, if you are willing, please take this cup of suffering away from me. Yet I want your will to be done, not mine.” Luke 22:42
There are several phrases in this prayer that are a good examples of types of prayers we can pray.
Father
Jesus came to God as a loving father. Our Father wants good things for his children and we should pray with that in mind.
If You Are Willing
When we pray, our desire should be to pray according to his will. Knowing that, we should ask him for what we want!
Please Take This Cup Of Suffering Away From Me
Jesus was asking if there was any other way to save us without his suffering; he would have happily taken that route.
It is right for us to ask God to relieve us from suffering, but we must also be willing to suffer if it is God’s will for us.
I think that often we think that because Jesus was God that some how his death on the cross was not painful or hard; but in reality it was worse than we could ever imagine. But staring this grim fate in the face, Jesus refused to say “It’s too hard.”
Yet I Want Your Will To Be Done, Not Mine
Jesus cared more about fulfilling God’s purpose for him than his comfort. He cared more about us than his pain.
Instead of “it’s too hard” he said, yet not my will, but yours be done.
We can pray that God would allow the situation to be easier, but if that is not possible then we need to pray like Jesus, yet not my will, but yours be done!
Here’s what happened after Jesus surrendered to God…
“An angel from heaven appeared to him and strengthened him.” Luke 20:43
He received from an angel sent by God the strength that he needed to endure the situation. When we step forward to do the things that we think are too hard, God will give us the strength we need to endure! This doesn’t mean that you just pray and it’s like your magic easy button making everything ok.
God doesn’t promise to make your life easy but he does promise to help you through the hard times when they come.
“And being in anguish, he prayed more earnestly, and his sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground.” Luke 20:44
Jesus was under such stress that he started sweating drops of blood! This is an actual medical condition called hematidrosis that a bloody sweat comes from the forehead of someone under extreme emotional stress. The stress causes blood vessels to rupture and it combines with sweat. The article I got this info from said that Luke used a word that indicated it was big drops of blood. This implies that something even more extreme than this may have been happening!
Jesus loved you and me more than his comfort. Jesus endured the cross for our salvation and for his glory.
Next time you are tempted to say “it’s too hard”…
Consider what Jesus did for you, and pray his prayer “not my will but yours be done!”
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