Luke 22:44 – And being in anguish, [Jesus] prayed more earnestly, and his sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground. (NIV)

I can remember taking an anxiety attack several years ago. One night, I woke with shortness of breath, and my heart was racing. I didn't know what was happening, and I feared the worst. I had no chest pains, and it was over within a matter of minutes. I was drenched with sweat and shivered for quite awhile. It was an awful moment, and not one that I would wish on my worst enemy.

Christ's experience was entirely different. This wasn't an anxiety attack that He underwent in the Garden of Gethsemane. This was a moment of deep anguish. He knew what He was facing, and He feared the worst. He perfectly understood what God's plan of salvation entailed. This was the make-or-break moment for Jesus. He could either face death and fight sin, or He could flee from pain and forsake every sinner. It was the hardest choice anyone has ever had to make. No wonder Christ sweated so profusely. It was all or nothing. There was no other way to win the world for God.

We all undergo moments of doubt, anxiety, and fear in our lives. We face times of uncertainty, hardship, and tragedy. During those frightful and worrying events, we can depend upon Christ to understand perfectly what we are enduring, because He has been through similar times. He didn't abandon the world in Gethsemane. He will certainly not forsake us either.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, sometimes we get so caught up with our own lives, our own worries, and our own anxieties that we forget to rely upon You. Instead of releasing our burdens and casting our cares upon You, we tend to keep hold of what we've got. Forgive us for being foolish and faithless. Help us to allow You to support and uphold us during anxious and worrying times. In Your holy name, we pray. Amen.

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About the author:

John Stuart <traqair@aol.com>
Knoxville, Tennessee, USA
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