“Father, if you are willing, take this cup away from Me—nevertheless, not My will but Yours, be done.”

Luke 22:42 NIV

 Ask any of my friends and they will tell you that traveling to the Holy Land has been a dream of mine for years. To walk where Jesus walked, to stand at the Empty Tomb and try to picture the moment that Mary’s eyes saw her risen Savior’s face is beyond imagination.

One of the places I have longed to visit is the Garden of Gethsemane. I want to kneel in the place where Jesus did the night that He painfully pleaded with God to spare Him. With each plea, Jesus added, “not my will but yours, Father.”

I have always struggled with those four words, “Thy will be done,” in my prayer life. I am sure many people do. We pray for healing from illnesses; we pray for safety and provision for ourselves and family; and we pray for those lost. But it is hard to add the words, “Lord, your will not, mine.” We want happy endings or at least what we believe are happy endings from our earthly viewpoint. We don’t have God’s viewpoint from the throne.

A dear friend brought me a gift from the Holy Land. As I unwrapped the delicate necklace—a replica of an olive tree, she began to share the story behind it. Tears fell  from my eyes as she described the tree she saw in the Garden of Gethsemane. It is believed that Jesus knelt near the olive tree to pray that night.

Olive trees are tough with deep root systems. When they appear to be dead, new shoots will sprout from the stump. It reminds us to be tough in our faith. When faced with challenges, cling to the cross which is securely rooted and remember that God answers our prayers in ways that grow us.

When you pray remember that Jesus prayed the hard prayers, and he left the garden knowing that his life would not be spared. God had something even better planned. We are given the opportunity to have eternal life. Don’t be afraid to add, “thy will be done,” to your prayers. God will give you peace and comfort even when His answer isn’t what you wanted.

Mitzie Avera