Our Suffering Savior

“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.” Matthew 26:38-39

As we look at our world, we don’t have to look far to see suffering. Whether we hear about it on the news, walk through it with a loved one, or experience it ourselves, suffering is all around us. It is painful, and difficult, and leaves us asking why. But we do not suffer alone. Isaiah 53:3 reminds us that our Savior “was a man of suffering, and familiar with pain.”

In Matthew 26:36-46 we see a glimpse of the heart of Jesus in his suffering. Jesus and his disciples went to Gethsemane as he sorrowfully anticipated his death. At the thought of the pain he would endure, Jesus was overwhelmed and in deep anguish. In his agony Jesus stated “My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will.” (Matthew 26:39). It was not a comment of avoidance, but of honesty. In these verses we see Jesus humbly crying out to the Father, wishing for a different path. To bear the weight of God’s fury against sin is unimaginable, yet even knowing that, Jesus followed the will of the Father and chose to go to Calvary.

Suffering is never easy and like Jesus, pain in our lives can overwhelm us, causing us to cry out and question why. But in suffering God invites us to follow Christ’s example. Just as Jesus cried out to the Father in his last hours, God desires us to do the same. When hardship brings us to our knees, God invites us to fervently lay our pain at His feet. In doing so we are not guaranteed a fix but rather God’s presence. Even in suffering God is faithful. Even when we can’t understand why, God’s will prevails. And even when we can’t see a way through, God is with us.

So I invite you to take a moment to reflect this week: Is there someone in your life enduring a season of hardship, how might you walk alongside them? What situations can you honestly cry out to God about? Where might God be calling you to trust his faithfulness even when it is difficult?

Prayer

Lord, We are humbled by the pain endured by Jesus on our behalf. We acknowledge that suffering is difficult and we often wish to avoid it. But, we thank you that when we face difficult times we are not alone. Give us strength to respond in faithful obedience. Give us courage to cry out to you and lay our pain at your feet. May our response to all life situations bring you glory. In the name of Christ our Savior, Amen.

Blessings in your week,

Makalah Scholten
Spiritual Care Coordinator

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