Oak leaves blanketed the lawn in yellow while I wandered the abbey grounds in the hills of Kentucky. It was peaceful and quiet. I came here to meet with God—to spend a few quiet minutes in a place where many other Christians have come to worship and feel His presence among the trees.
Named after the garden of Gethsemane, this particular abbey has a statue of Jesus tucked away in the woods. His hands cover His face in agony while He prays for deliverance.
“Father, if you are willing, take this cup away from me,” Christ pleads in His prayer. “Nevertheless, not my will, but yours, be done” (Luke 22:42).
It’s hard to imagine this kind of anguish being real. I don’t want to. On a perfect autumn afternoon like today, this quiet peace is such a contrast to what Jesus felt that day in the garden when He was in so much inner turmoil; He sweated drops of blood (v.44). And yet this one moment in history is what this whole place calls us to remember.
Not my will, but yours, be done.
Any time I read passages where Jesus is the one praying, it moves me. Jesus, our Savior—the one you and I pray to—also prays. During His life and ministry, Jesus also faced trials and great suffering that brought Him to the end of Himself. In the days leading up to His crucifixion, Christ experienced the anticipation of His death. He endured disciples who fell asleep in the middle of praying (v.45), endured physical and psychological abuse (vv.63–65), and went through moment after moment of betrayal and rejection from those who had just met him and those who were close enough to call friends.
In Luke, we read that Pilate couldn’t find fault with Jesus. “‘I find no grounds for charging this man,” he declared, once the accusations poured in (Luke 23:4). Yet mockery and abuse continued. Even in the midst of this, God gave Jesus the strength to keep going. The time they had spent together in the garden—with the blood and the crying out in desperation—led to complete surrender and obedience.
As I walked those abbey grounds in Kentucky, I thought of Jesus. I thought of the way God met with Him and listened to His anguish. How it must have broken His fatherly heart. But even this agony couldn’t stop God’s will from prevailing that day in Gethsemane.
On the hardest days, but also the ordinary days, may you be strengthened by God’s love. May you receive whatever trials He allows into your life with trust and surrender, knowing that God will meet you right in the midst of it.
Not my will, but yours, be done.
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49 thoughts on "Jesus Faces Trials"
Amen
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I want you here Lord. I want to be with you,
“The one we pray to prays” what an excellent reminder and example Jesus has given us
I am so incredibly humbled by the fact that while I think I am in anguish, I have experienced nothing like the anguish He experienced, and yet He encourages us to lay our concerns at His feet.
Loved to read about my old Kentucky home in such an unexpected place. These passages are difficult for me to read as I imagine everything happening to Jesus. I may not have spit on him or beat him, but I fall short and sin every day. Thank God for his new mercies each day, and thank you Jesus for sacrificing yourself for me and all of my sin!
Loved to read about my old Kentucky home in
From HRT today. “When we face trials, Jesus urges us to keep praying. It may be that we will not get the outcome we desire, but we can learn from Jesus to be open with God about our innermost thoughts, boldly asking Him for what we want, while at the same time recognizing that He loves us and is able to strengthen us even in the midst of trials.” I’m so grateful.
Wow. So much in todays reading. The detail is Jesus sweating blood – his feed and anguish. I like to think the angel comforted him – and then to return to his disciples who really could seem to care less by their snoozing. Do we feel sometimes that we are alone in our faith journey? That no one sees us in our pain? God does and he will comfort us with His presence. And then everyone else – so desperate to have someone to blame. To explain everything that is happening. To have control of the situation that they are looking past the one, true God in their midst. Someone they have worshiped and studied and known about. How often to we try to control our lives only to look right past the glory right in front of our faces?
“I find no grounds to charge this man”!!!!!!!!!!!!! Wow!!!!!
I find that in times of sorrows, the ability to pray is threatened and even robbed. Our soul and spirit is troubling, it is the hardest time to pray. I have slumped in moments of grief and sorrows. BUT GOD, the warrior that He is, says this to His disciples, when they are found sleeping for sorrows, exhausted from grief (Luke 22:45 KJV), He said, get up and pray against temptations. Beware, the great temptation of grief is to think God has left, to think I am the cursed and not the blessed, woe is me, etc….the biggest lies of grief. We are still the blessed ones, trials or not, we are still the clay vessels through which the Mighty demonstrates His power/love/ mercy and goodness and faithfulness through. If we just push to pray, as He said we must, the moment of relief and strengthening toward us is just around the corner, for the victory of His Name. The beginning of sorrows/birth pains have started, we are in the last days, the world around us is groaning more and more, pain and confusion is around us, please ask Him for strength/grace to pray, to fight through fervent prayers, and not be slumped asleep.
Awake, awake, put on strength, O arm of the LORD; awake, as in days of old, the generations of long ago. Was it not you who cut Rahab in pieces, who pierced the dragon/serpent? (Isaiah 51:9)
Praying….
@Dorothy: praying for your request with Finley’s family.
@C, Lexi B: for car fix and finance.
@Allison Bentley: loved your prayer yesterday <3
@Tara B: healing for your boss’s dad.
@Sharon Jersey girl: for your in-laws to know God deeper and experience His power.
Be blessed dear sisters. Remember God is always with us to empower us through both hardest days or ordinary days (thank you Bailey!).
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I pray that I can surrender my own will for my life and have full faith that God has a bigger plan for me. Jesus’s strength at the end of his life is inspiring. I hope to have that strength when times are hard. This season of life has truly tested me in more ways than one and I hope to come out stronger and more resilient than before. Praying for all of you today.
The hours leading to Christ’s torture and death always sadden me and make my heart so sad. It is a reminder of the cost of my sin that he took before I was even here. Praise be!
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It’s hard to read these passages every time I read them. The God of the Universe who created everything, holds everything together was spit upon, beated, mocked, had His beard ripped out, His back torn open by a whip…He took all of this, cruel nails on a cross, all of it, for you & me. I know I’ll never deserve it! But wow, THANK YOU Jesus!!
Father God, I repeat what Christ said, “not my will but Your will be done.” You know what is best for me and how it is best to handle it, please help me through my life’s journey. Amen.
Sisters, I ask for prayer, last evening at work with Finley, I almost had a “melt down” between Finley not listening and sister Kyla antagonizing her, I was on the verge of crying. Dad wasn’t feeling well so he had gone to bed early. Mom had left for some appointments. I was getting Finley out of the bath because of so problems and I needed to put her back in briefly to finish rinsing her hair and Kyla came in and caused problems. This caused me even more work. I’m going on a Christian retreat 4 day weekend next week but I’m seriously thinking about telling the family when I come back that I can’t handle working for them any more. Finley is getting to big for me to lift. She doesn’t always cooperate and when Kyla is around they feed off of each other. Please pray for me as to how best to approach this and when to do it. I love them dearly and I’ve been working with Finley for four years now but I just don’t know what to do. Thank you.
Sisters, be blessed and remember God’s will should come first and foremost.
Todays reading was perfect for what I have been going through. So much stuck out to me but this really left an impact on me:
On the hardest days, but also the ordinary days, may you be strengthened by God’s love. May you receive whatever trials He allows into your life with trust and surrender, knowing that God will meet you right in the midst of it.
Thank you all for your prayers. My trial has not ended but I do feel more peace.
Lifting up prayers listed here!
Michelle P: I often forget the spirtual war aspect of our walk with Christ. When I saw your comment, I went to the Lord, wondering how I should war. I am not a fighter really, but I think the Lord is trying to break me of that and engage in more spirtual warfare when being attacked by the enemy. So I asked the Lord- how do I war? Is it crying out? Praying for hours? He told me- “with worship”. And I realized, since starting my business and working from home more often- I don’t sing worship songs as much as I used to outside of church. I used to sing everyday to and from work. I need to make a habit again of just setting aside time to do that again, if that is the way I am meant to war.
Thanks for your comment-it was good to talk through this with God.
We have visited Gethsemane in KY – it is 2 hrs from my home and just a few minutes from my grandma’s house. It is really lovely!
Yes,Lord Jesus❤️
I would love to visit the garden of Gethsemane. I had heard about the statue and it would mean so much to see it.
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Oh how these passages hurt my heart. My stomach knots up. It saddens me to think of how many ignore Jesus today. I had a teacher once say, “You get up and Jesus is in the living room sitting on the couch and you just walk by with out saying “good morning”.
I have made it a habit to seek Him out first thing. He went through so much for us and I am so thankful.
I too have read these passages multiple times and I love how every time I receive something different. What stood out the most to me today was Jesus’ restraint. I can’t imagine having the power to blast my enemies/persecutors/onlookers away with lofty answers to their accusations, sheer force to their blows and softening of their hearts and not using it to “prove them wrong” but trusting His fathers plan. Instead of sending the enemy where they belong and giving them what they deserve he healed him, prayed for him and eventually died for them. WOW what a mighty God we serve!!!
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@Sharon, JG- good points!! I’m so thankful to see his parents were open to hearing the truth! May God continue to draw them near to Him. May they grow a hunger and thirst for righteousness and truth. God bless you, your husband, and family. <3 wonderful news!
What struck me in this passage was that Jesus wanted His disciples to pray. I think, to war, in the Spirit. I imagine the spiritual atmosphere was very very intense bc Jesus was about to atone for all our sins. Satan must have been doing literally anything he could to prevent that. Yet, His disciples were asleep. That's just my imagination — but if we truly live in a spiritual war – I think this must have been what was happening.
Have you ever thought about how when Jesus was praying in the Garden before he was arrested, an angel of the Lord appeared to him to strengthen Him. In this moment we see Jesus as fully man. He was not strong enough, as a human, for what He was about to endure without the support and help of God.
Sometimes I wonder if it’s not so much that God won’t give us more than we can handle but more we can handle what is given because he gives us the strength too!
I never noticed before that as Jesus was praying an angel was sent to strengthen Him. It’s so deeply humbling that God answered His prayer in strengthening Jesus for what was to come. I am still amazed at the thought of Jesus’ continuing compassion for His disciples and others when He knew what He was facing. Lord, I believe, help me in my unbelief! All praise and honor and glory be to God! Amen.
It’s overwhelming reading these passages, even though I have read them many, many times, they seem to get weightier the closer I become to Jesus! I groan often with my chronic back pain, and wanting healing in fervent prayer, and the trial to end other times I know it is shaping my endurance and reliance on the Lord, leaning into him, trusting him.
We all will endure trials where we ask God, please take this cup from me! But seeing how Jesus prays, drips sweat of blood…it just grips my heart. Dear Lord please keep me strong, keep my She sisters strong, and let us live for you Jesus, through the hardships, afflictions, and valleys of life.
Have a great day all!
So good, @Tasha Colley. Thank you for your insights!
Two things stand out to me in today’s reading. First, that Jesus, the Son of God, humbly came before His Father in prayer – laying his petition at His feet. He knew the agony that lay ahead and knew He needed the strength of Almighty God. Jesus was God in the flesh yet He submitted His own will to the obedience of His heavenly Father – without complaint, without bitterness, without jealousy.
The second thing that stood out was God’s response to Jesus prayer. God loved His Son. He saw His agony, He heard His plea – yet He did not rescue Jesus from this most agonizing pain that He was about to experience. Why? Because of what would result from Jesus dying on the cross – victory over (our) sin, death, & the grave!
What can I learn from this? …That there will be times that I will go through agony & unbearable pain, and even though I cry out to God, He will not rescue me from it but will instead walk with me through it. Why? For my spiritual growth and for His glory. And for reasons beyond my comprehension, and because He is God & I am not.
To Him be the Glory, the honor & the praise.
Update on yesterday’s request…my hubby & I did get to share the gospel with his parents – they listened intently & both agreed God’s hand was definitely in the events that happened at the beginning of this month, and their hearts seemed very opened to the truth. We now pray it sinks in & they receive it as their own!
Thank you God for meeting me every day no matter what is going on.
It hearts my heart and stomach when I read about the way Jesus was treated. It’s always so crazy to think about why he did it. For us. For you. For me. And I can’t imagine how Peter must have felt when he heard that rooster crow! Definitely lots to take in from this devotional this morning. ❤️ Asking for prayers. My husband and I share a car and it broke down. We have a part ordered and it’s on its way but we don’t know if that will fix it. Money is tight and mechanics are expensive. Buying a new (well used it’s new to us) car is expensive. I’m hoping we don’t have to go that route. I just pray that my business takes off and I can help out financially more. And praying that our car is fixable. Life is a little stressful right now! But I know God has a plan ❤️ Praying for all of you on here ❤️
One of my favorite things about Jesus is that he is fully God and fully man, and in the garden we see how fully man He is. Scared, physically weakened, asking for a way out—and it rattles the brain to know this and reconcile it with the fact that he is also God! I used to think, “He knows the ending, right?” But, that doesn’t matter. Jesus Christ—fully human has to also learn obedience to God and we see this is raw fashion in the garden.
It hurts my heart to know my Jesus suffered so much. I can never thank Him enough for what He did for me.
I visited the Abbey of Gethsamani last fall and found it deeply moving. Today, I contemplate how Peter followed at a distance after Jesus was arrested. I think of how I deny Him with my life and then I think of how Peter wept bitterly with conviction. So thankful He still loves me even as I deny Him. I’m thankful that He is always forgiving as I go through this process of sanctification and one day I will be glorified.
Oh Lord, how You suffered for me, for Your children. Thank you for grace I didn’t earn and mercy I dont deserve. Amen
They even saw Jesus replace the man’s cut off ear and still found him guilty. They were blinded for Gods purposes. God’s will is done no matter the circumstances. He is in total control. I am convinced of that. I am grateful for that. Grateful enough to give Him total control over my life. I may not always like the process but the end result is more than worth the agony of getting there.
I pray I would live out of trust, complete surrender, and obedience rather than fear and trying to take control of my life. Thank you Bailey for the quote from today’s devotion: “May you receive whatever trials He allows into your life with trust and surrender, knowing that God will meet you in the midst of it.” I also like the reminder from the Scripture reading today to pray to avoid temptation. I pray that when temptation creeps in I will recognize it and pray against it, especially when the temptation is an attack on my mind with anxious/depressed thoughts.
Lifting up all the prayer requests <3
I’ve noticed before how Jesus presents his request before the Lord, but he ultimately requests the Lord’s will be done. And the Lord’s will was not the same as Jesus’ initial request. Boy, how that happens so often. Yet, God’s will is far better than our own. Even when it meant the torture, persecution, mockery, and death of Jesus.
But something else stood out to me today. After Jesus lays his request before the Lord, he has an angel next to him – strengthening him. Making him strong. Even Jesus was not able to handle what was about to happen to him without the support and help of God. He needed the Lord to help make him strong. And so do we.
I think sometimes the ways in which God makes us strong for the next “thing” may be hard in and of itself. Infertility, the death of friends’ babies, struggling with (turning from) my faith. All of that was so terribly hard for years. But I think it may have been God’s way to make me stronger. For what? I have no idea. That part worries me a little. But I know my faith has a depth it didn’t before. I can see God’s handiwork through the darkness in a way I wasn’t able to before. I know his way is better than my own, and I know I need to cling to that knowledge or I am totally lost.
“Blessed be your name in a land that is plentiful. Blessed be your name when I’m found in the desert place.” Through the good and through the bad, help me praise your name.
Amen Kristen! There was so much packed here, that I need to come back this evening and reread it all again. I do not want to miss the power of The Word today. Lifting you all in prayer today. And my bosses dad. He is currently in the hospital and needs healing.
Christ went through more pain and suffering than I/we can ever begin to imagine and He did it for us. Yes, for me and for you. I am shamed when I think of things I have not done when asked because they were time consuming, inconvenient, uncomfortable or I just didn’t want to.
One thing that got my attention was Christ’s reminders to pray to avoid temptation.
LILY YE – praying with you for your parents to seek and act in God’s will. God will always be with you.
LEXI B – praying with you for wisdom in these financial circumstances
CATHERINE MCVEY – praying things are much improved this week
I always feel for Peter in these verses… He truly believed that there was nothing that would lead him to deny Jesus, but his fear overcame him. The sorrow and regret he must have felt when he heard that rooster crow!
Most of us are blessed and we’ll not find ourselves in a life or death situation due to our faith, but I pray mine would be strong enough to do what is right.
“On the hardest days, but also the ordinary days, may you be strengthened by God’s love. May you receive whatever trials He allows into your life with trust and surrender, knowing that God will meet you right in the midst of it.”
Indeed may I trust You, Lord especially in the ordinary days.
LEXI B – praying you keep your eyes on Jesus in your financial storm.
CHURCHMOUSE – praying for Lewis’ continued recovery
AVERY PICONECADSAGNOL – praying the selling of your business is progressing smoothly
Amen
I felt anew this morning the reality of the servant of the high priest. He was there in the commotion in darkness to take away this Jesus, his ear gets cut off in the confusion, and Jesus heals him. How did that affect him. How did he not fall down and worship?! And Jesus! Who just prayed in great agony, healing without hesitation a man coming to whisk Him away to torture, humiliation and death. The compassion and kindness is so great!
I’m just in the situation of making decision. I really want my will to come true, but this Scripture reading reminds me of how Jesus Christ obeyed God. I’m now praying to Lord that my parents can decide with His will, and I hope God can give the peace from Him whether the decision is.
I think k of the words of the song; Here I am to worship by Phillips, Craig, and Dean that say: I’ll never know how much it cost to see my sin upon that Cross. Who can fathom what Jesus endured? He was in such distress in Gethsemane that He was sweating blood. As Bailey wrote, He knew that this was coming . He would be betrayed, go through unlawful trials, be sent back and forth to be questioned, beaten beyond recognition, mocked, and spat upon, and crucified as if He were a criminal. However, that wasn’t what had him sweating blood! It was that Jesus would drink the full cup of the wrath of God. I’ve heard messages that you can search on YouTube on about drinking the cup of God’s wrath. There are ones by Paul Washer and Leonard Ravenhill that may help to explain the cup. None of us could endure, only Jesus! He is a wonderful Savior indeed that deserves glory, honor, and praise forever! May all that we know, by God’s mercy, be drawn to bow to the King of kings now, repent, be amazed by His sacrifice, and be saved! Amen!