THE HUB

Surrender

Devotional

How do you respond when you’re under pressure? Do you try to escape the stress by losing yourself in worldly distractions? Or maybe you seek to control the situation and, ultimately, find yourself in worst shape than you started in? The truth is, we do not have the capacity to control or escape life’s stressors, so God offers us a better solution: surrender!

36 Then Jesus went with his disciples to a place called Gethsemane, and he said to them, “Sit here while I go over there and pray.” 37 He took Peter and the two sons of Zebedee along with him, and he began to be sorrowful and troubled. 38 Then he said to them, “My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me.” 39 Going a little farther, he fell with his face to the ground and prayed, “My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will.” 40 Then he returned to his disciples and found them sleeping. “Couldn’t you men keep watch with me for one hour?” he asked Peter. 41 “Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.” 42 He went away a second time and prayed, “My Father, if it is not possible for this cup to be taken away unless I drink it, may your will be done.” 43 When he came back, he again found them sleeping, because their eyes were heavy. 44 So he left them and went away once more and prayed the third time, saying the same thing.

MATTHEW 26:36-44

Questions:

  • What do you do when you’re under pressure?
  • What do you learn about how Jesus handles pressure in this passage?
  • “Surrender isn’t easy, but who you’re surrendering to is good.” What are your thoughts or reactions to this quote?
  • During difficult seasons in your life, how would you describe your posture towards God?
  • In what areas of your life is Jesus calling you to surrender?

Practice The Way of Jesus:

John 3:19-21 says, "This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but people loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. 20 Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that their deeds will be exposed. 21 But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what they have done has been done in the sight of God." This week, take some time to reflect on your life. Consider what it would look like for you to come into the light and then seek to come into the light.