Living By Faith Blog

Fear and Worry

That’s what I’m battling.

I’m fearful and worried about making wrong decisions, and about whether my strained wrist will ever get better.

And because God promises peace to those who trust him (Isaiah 26:3), my lack of peace shows there’s a problem with my faith.  It shows that I’m not trusting all that God promises to be to me in Christ Jesus.

Specifically, I’m not trusting that he will give me the wisdom I need (Isaiah 58:11).  And I’m not trusting that he will do with my wrist whatever will bring me the greatest experience of Christ’s power (2 Corinthians 12:9-10).

In my case, the bottom line is that I’m not trusting that he truly cares about me.

So what can I do?

Remind Ourselves

Last night at our home group one of the women shared a burden, and we were seeking to strengthen her faith.

And as we were talking I remembered something my father once said that deeply encouraged me.

He said that when we doubt Jesus’ care for us, we should remind ourselves of his Gethsemane Love.

Gethsemane Love

One of the reasons Jesus moved toward the cross was because he loves us.

And this love was not just for his people in general.  It was for each of us individually.

That’s why Paul said he “lives by faith in the Son of God, who loved ME and gave himself up for ME” (Galatians 2:20).

So one of the reasons Jesus moved toward the cross was because he loves you — individually.

And we can see the measure of this love by looking at what happened in the garden of Gethsemane.

Sorrowful to Death

Here’s what Mark tells us —

And [Jesus] took with him Peter and James and John, and began to be greatly distressed and troubled.  And he said to them, “My soul is very sorrowful, even to death. Remain here and watch.” (Mark 14:33-34)

Picture Jesus greatly distressed and troubled, and very sorrowful even to death.

And the reason he felt such anguish was because he knew what would happen if he chose the cross.

He knew he would experience God’s holy and just and white-hot wrath against our sin.  He knew his suffering would be beyond horrifying.

But as Jesus was in the garden, knowing exactly what this would mean for him, he chose the cross — because he loves you, cares about you, and has compassion on you.

That’s Gethsemane Love.

Impossible

Gethsemane shows the depth and strength and intensity of Jesus’ love for us.

Picture it: right now Jesus Christ is standing before each of us, loving us with Gethsemane Love

So I need to ask myself —

Would Gethsemane Love not give me the wisdom I need?  Impossible.

Would Gethsemane Love not do with my wrist whatever will bring the greatest joy in Christ?  Impossible.

Honestly, as I ask that question, and see Jesus’ Gethsemane Love, my fear and worry dissolve.

Ask Yourself

So ask yourself —

Would Gethsemane Love not provide the money I need?  Impossible.

Would Gethsemane Love not give the guidance I need?  Impossible.

Would Gethsemane Love not work everything in my life to bring the greatest joy in Christ?   Impossible.

Would Gethsemane Love not give the grace I need to overcome this temptation?  Impossible.

Would Gethsemane Love call me to live a life of risk-taking, sacrificial love if one day I would look back and regret it?  Impossible.

Impossible, impossible, impossible.

Trust Gethsemane Love.

Questions?  Comments?