Love:Wrestling - Podcast Day 4 Deeper GuideDaria Nardozza - 28 Mar 2013

What do you do when your world feels like it's falling apart? Where do you go when you just can't cope anymore?

Reflect

Bible Reading: Matt 26:36-42 (MSG)

“Then Jesus went with them to a garden called Gethsemane and told his disciples, “Stay here while I go over there and pray.” Taking along Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, he plunged into an agonizing sorrow. Then he said, “This sorrow is crushing my life out. Stay here and keep vigil with me.” Going a little ahead, he fell on his face, praying, “My Father, if there is any way, get me out of this. But please, not what I want. You, what do you want?” When he came back to his disciples, he found them sound asleep. He said to Peter, “Can’t you stick it out with me a single hour? Stay alert; be in prayer so you don’t wander into temptation without even knowing you’re in danger. There is a part of you that is eager, ready for anything in God. But there’s another part that’s as lazy as an old dog sleeping by the fire.” He then left them a second time. Again he prayed, “My Father, if there is no other way than this, drinking this cup to the dregs, I’m ready. Do it your way.”

“Only after disaster can we be resurrected.”
Chuck Palahniuk, 'Fight Club'

Jesus nearly died before he actually died. What a difficult moment this was for him, knowing what was to come, completely overtaken by sorrow, asking God to take it from him. Have you ever had a moment like this where circumstance just felt like too much to cope with? Where you felt like God and prayer didn’t even seem to be working?! Jesus, through this sorrow struggled but in the end was able to surrender everything, even his life, to God. Pretty amazing! When nothing seems to be working how can you still call upon God and surrender your struggle to Him?

Respond

Whether you are going through a difficult time now or not, consider the way Jesus wrestled through his sorrow. He prayed A LOT, he had friends watching and praying with him, and he waited on the Lord. Who are the people in your life who support you in prayer through difficult times? Send them a note this week thanking them for the way they support you. If there is no one you know of supporting you in prayer, ask a few people this week if they would. Even Jesus needed a community of friends to watch and pray with him through the difficult times. 

Pray                              

I am no longer my own but yours.
Put me to what you will; rank me with whom you will.
Put me to doing; put me to suffering.
Let me be employed for you, or laid aside for you;
exalted for you, or brought low for you.
Let me be full; let me be empty.
Let me have all things; let me have nothing.
I freely and wholeheartedly yield all things to your pleasure and disposal.
And now, glorious and blessed God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, you are mine and I am yours.

(Methodist Covenant Prayer)