Weekly Devotion

March 30, 2025

Persevering Through Personal Suffering

In the Garden of Gethsemane, as Jesus faced the excruciating anticipation of His impending crucifixion, He poured out His heart to the Father, asking a question that reflects both His humanity and divine submission: "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, NIV).

Even Jesus, in His sinless and perfect nature, experienced the weight of sorrow and suffering. He didn't shy away from expressing His anguish to God. Jesus was fully aware of the suffering that awaited Him—physically, emotionally, and spiritually. Yet, despite His desire for the cup of suffering to pass, He submitted to the Father’s will, trusting that God's plan was greater than His own immediate relief.

This moment in the Garden teaches us that it is okay to express our pain and struggles before God. Jesus, though perfect, was honest with His Father about His desire to avoid suffering. But He also showed us the path of ultimate trust and surrender—saying, "Not as I will, but as You will."

When we face our own suffering, whether it is physical pain, emotional strain, or spiritual exhaustion, we can look to Jesus’ example. It’s normal to feel fear, sadness, or confusion in times of hardship, but we are called to lay our burdens at God’s feet, just as Jesus did. In our moments of distress, God invites us to express our heart while still trusting in His wisdom and timing.

I wonder if during this Lent season we are struggling with things that we can surrender to Jesus and leave at His feet. I know I’ve been struggling with a few new health challenges, and it makes day to day life sometimes quite frustrating. I am so grateful for the promises I know to be true in God’s word, James 1:2-4(NIV)says, Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters,[a] whenever you face trials of many kinds, 3 because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. 4 Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. In Romans 8:28(NIV) it says, 28 And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who[i] have been called according to his purpose. The apostle Paul, who endured many trials in his ministry, encouraged us with these words: "I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us" (Romans 8:18, NIV). The suffering we endure now is temporary, but God's eternal plan for us is unshakable.

Let us be encouraged that even when we face moments of deep pain and uncertainty, we are not alone. Jesus understands our suffering, and He shows us that perseverance through hardship, rooted in trust and surrender to God’s will, leads to the fulfillment of God's perfect plan for our lives.

Written by
Jodi Dyck