There is a saying, “when the going gets tough, the tough get going.” Have you ever wondered if the tough are just smart enough to run the other direction? Have you ever found yourself, like Jesus in the garden, saying “God, I’m thinking plan B might be a good idea.”
While Jesus was on earth, he showed us so many things. He showed us how to talk to God. He showed us how to have compassion. He even showed us how to be bold. Today, we find that He also showed us how to do the hard things in life.
1. Admit that it is hard. In Mark 14, we find Jesus with the disciples in Gethsemane. He didn’t say “hey guys, we are about to go through a tough time, get some rest.” Instead, he said “My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death.” Jesus wasn’t a stoic. He admitted that he was having a tough time.
2. Ask someone to walk with you. Jesus was God, yet he asked the disciples to be a support system for him. He didn’t try to go it alone, he let other people into his difficult situation.
3. Talk to God. Wow. Prayer isn’t the first thing on the list, it is the third. God already knows what you are going through. Prayer is really the act of aligning ourselves with God. Jesus prayed “God, I’m thinking we could find a better way to do this, but I want to submit to your will instead of my own” (Kim’s paraphrase).
4. Decide to press forward and do it. Putting God’s will before his own wasn’t an easy act – he sweat drops of blood – but he stayed focused and kept at it until the job was done. When Jesus got up the third time, he was resolved to move forward. When he got up, He had new focus and new power to do press forward in an impossible situation.
Jesus had a legion of angels at his disposal to get him out of his impossible situation, but He chose to walk through it. He walked through it so that God would be able to be with you every moment of every day. You are not alone. You don’t have to go on a trek to meet God – He is already waiting to talk. The Holy Spirit is waiting to guide, correct and empower you.
What is your impossible situation? What has you running for the hills and wanting to give up? Are you ready to admit your situation, ask someone to walk with you, talk to God about it, and receiving His mind, receive new strength to press forward?
I’ll be praying for you today.
One Response
Very timely! Trying to get through my capstone and getting bogged down in doubts. Worried about my job prospects and anxiety ridden about returning to the work world. Terrified about failure. Watched this on Q today just before reading your blog: http://www.qideas.org/video/the-cross-in-culture.aspx Working this morning to remember Paul’s words, “God has chosen the foolish things to confound the wise.” And, no-one is more foolish than me.