The tension Jesus experienced in the Garden of Gethsemane is UNBELIEVABLE to me. The Gethsemane passages (Matthew 26; Mark 14; Luke 22) have been surreal to me these past couple weeks because of several sermons I have heard recently and I’m also remembering the pressure of Gethsemane portrayed in Episode 8 of Season 5 of The Chosen.
Jesus consistently stayed IN the tension of His circumstances. Look at Satan tempting Him following the 40 days in the wilderness. Remember how the Sadducees and Pharisees consistently antagonized Him. What would we have done in these circumstances?
What CAN we do when the tensions of life … work, relationships, culture, etc. … are squeezing us tighter?
- Breath prayers: here are a couple possibilities … “Blessed Holy Spirit, thank You for coming to me and abiding with me.” “Lord, I believe; help my unbelief.”
- Bible verses: what are your “go-to” verses when you need God’s affirmation? Keep them close to you. I have my Top 10 verses saved on my phone and I rotate verses on my phone’s home screen.
- Worship music: I connect with various artists and styles of music at various times of day or in various moods. Know yourself and what matches you best.
Holy Spirit, keep us aware when tension is rising in our lives. Keep us IN the tension and guide us with Your tools to stay the course. AMEN!
