Dealing with Agony

Have you ever felt agony over situations you have faced in life?

 

And there appeared an angel unto him from heaven, strengthening him. And being in an agony he prayed more earnestly: and his sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground— Luke 22:43, 44

 

Have you ever wondered where all your friends were at a time when you really needed them? They pledged they would be faithful, but when you needed them, they were nowhere to be found! When you needed a loving touch from a close relative, they seemed consumed with their own life. Did you feel abandoned in that moment of need? Jesus Himself confronted that same situation when He was in the Garden of Gethsemane the night before His crucifixion.

 

Jesus felt a need to spend time in intercession so He might have the strength needed to face what lay before Him. He asked Peter, James, and John to come pray with Him.

 

Rarely, if ever, did Jesus need His friends' assistance. Most of the time, they needed His! In this intense moment, Jesus really felt a need to have the three disciples who were closest to Him pray with Him. Jesus asked them to pray for just one hour. Instead of faithfully praying when Jesus desperately needed their support, they kept falling asleep!

 

The mental and spiritual battle Jesus was experiencing that night in the Garden of Gethsemane was intense. In fact, Luke 22:44 says, "And being in an agony he prayed more earnestly: and his sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground."

 

Agony! What a strong word. I really must say I can remember agonizing over one particular situation in my life. It was concerning a word I believed the Lord gave me for the church I was attending. I read scripture, wrote, and quoted scripture. After I was finished I cried and shared it with my husband and cried some more.

 

It was days…maybe even weeks before I shared it with the pastors of that church. I was in a fight and struggling. I was troubled with the thought of bringing such a hard word to people I loved and respected. What physical and emotional exertion it took. It was a struggle I had within myself.

 

Was this of God? Was I hearing correctly? How would Jesus handle this one? Do I keep it to myself? To me, this was the closest I have been to being in agony. Not close enough when I consider what Jesus undertook in the Garden.

 

The Holy Spirit used this word AGONY to picture Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane on the night of His betrayal. This tells us that Jesus was thrown into a great struggle and battle that night. Knowing that the Cross and the grave were before Him, He cried out, "Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me." (Luke 22:42).

 

The spiritual pressure that bore down upon Jesus' soul was so overwhelming that the Bible says it was agony. It was so strenuous that it involved all of Jesus' spirit, soul, and body. He was in the greatest fight He had ever known up to that moment.

 

Just as Jesus' intense level of agony is depicted in the phrase, "he prayed more earnestly", He continued to extend and stretch out his prayer time. Jesus was on the brink of all he could possibly endure. I remember being so stressed out about that word I became hot with a fever, even tossing about like I was coming down with the flu.

 

Jesus' emotional state was so intense that it says, "his sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground." Because the mind is under such great mental and emotional pressure, it sends signals of stress throughout the human body. These signals become so strong that the body reacts as if it were under actual physical pressure. As a result of this stress, the first and second layer of skin separates, causing a vacuum to form between them. Thickly clotted blood seeped from this vacuum, oozing through the pores of the skin. Once the blood seeps through, it mingles with the sufferer's sweat that pours from his skin as a result of his intense inner struggle. In the end, the blood and sweat mix together and flow down the victim's face like droplets to the ground.

 

When Jesus left the Garden he was filled with Grace for the time he was to face! It was settled there in the garden! All his fear was conquered, and his mind settled on the goal the Father had given him. And so was it with me. After the days of mediating and agonizing on what to do, a decision was made and I stepped forward knowing that which the Father had me do.

 

Have you ever felt a need for help but found your friends could not be counted on? Did you find your friends sleeping on the job when you felt a deep need for help and support? Were you in a situation that caused you to feel intense agony, or pushed to the limit? Are you in that kind of situation right now?

 

Maybe you have never sweated blood and tears. However, more than likely, you have struggled in your soul at one time or another because of problems with your marriage, your children, your relationships, your ministry, or your finances. If you have ever felt like you were constantly living in a "pressure cooker," you know that continuous pressure is hard to deal with — especially if you have no one to lean on for strength, encouragement, and help.

 

For me it was a time to press into the Father and lean not unto my understanding. Being obedient and then letting go! The decision would be theirs after I had done my part! WOW what a release! What a freedom!

 

Because of what Jesus experienced, He is able to understand everything you are thinking and feeling today. So take a few minutes to pray, and talk to Jesus about the situations you are facing. He empathizes completely, and He will give you the strength you need to make it through!