Not My Will [Luke 22:42]

What do most people want comfort from? That’s a question I asked several years ago in a Bible study on Paul and that thorn in His flesh [2Cor 12:7-10]. Mark, a retired police officer, was the first to answer. “Discomfort,” was his reply. Ain’t that the truth! Many seek and try to do all they can to become and remain as comfortable as possible; or (for some) to be less uncomfortable as possible. Consequently, many professing Christians seek comfort over calling. But Peter tells us that, like Jesus, we are to expect a life that involves suffering. 

For what credit is there if when you sin and are harshly treated, you endure it with patience? But if when you do what is right and suffer for it you patiently endure it, this finds favor with God. For you have been called for this purpose, since Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example for you to follow in His steps… [1Pet 2:7-10]

While He was here on earth, Jesus chose to accept His suffering as part of His Father’s will and plan for His life. Isaiah prophesied that the coming Messiah would be – a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief [Isa 53:3]. Yet, Jesus learned to rely upon the grace and will of His Father [Heb 5:8]. In doing so, He taught and modeled for us to do the same. In His hour of greatest need, Jesus cried out to His Father – Take this cup (of suffering) from me. Scripture tells us that Jesus prayed this prayer to The Father more than once; and after the second time, HE ended the way we all should end our prayers when we feel so overwhelmed by our suffering – Not My will but YOURS be done [Luke 22:39-44].

Jesus was and is God. And He reveals to us in that Garden that He was and is also as we are – flesh. In being both God and man, He was aware of the cup that His Father had purposed for Him to drink. And at the same time, He was well aware of the grace that flowed to Him from His Father – grace that gave Him the strength and the perseverance and even the will to drink that cup. Peter reminds us that Jesus has left an example for each of us to follow. When suffering comes our way, it is only when we choose to surrender our will to The Father’s will that we can experience the peace that Paul tells us goes beyond all human understanding [Php 4:6-7]. It is a supernatural peace that God gives to us only when we learn to pray and live out – “Father…not my will, but Yours be done.”