Enduring The Agony

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.” He took Peter and the two sons of Zebedee along with him, and he began to be sorrowful and troubled.

Then he said to them, “My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me.” 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.”
 
Doing the hard thing that is also the right thing doesn’t always feel good. We often avoid doing hard things because we don’t want to endure the agony that comes with it. One of my first introductions to psychology was the book The Road Less Traveled by Dr. Scott Peck. I never forgot the opening line: “Life is difficult.” This truth has stayed with me throughout the years and reminds me of what Jesus taught us when he grappled with the weight of His impending suffering. The Bible makes it clear that there will be suffering in this life. But Jesus, in His moment of agony, gives us the perfect example of surrendering to God’s will. When He prayed, “Father if it is possible, let this cup pass from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will,” He demonstrated the ultimate act of obedience.

Enduring agony is the only way to get to the other side. Lent is a perfect opportunity to reflect on the meaning of pain in our lives and how we reconcile the difficulties we must endure. Jesus wrestled in Gethsemane, showing us that we, too, must wrestle with God to subdue our will. When we fail to do this, we fall into the trap of choosing our will instead of God’s.  

If we are not careful, the enemy will offer us a counterfeit version of endurance by seducing us into self-medicating with work, food, relationships, or other distractions to numb the pain. But God calls us to something higher. This Lent, He is asking us to lay down our vices and endure the agony through the power of the Holy Spirit.

What seems like it will kill us is often the very thing that delivers us. Sometimes, it is in our wrestling; our plea to God to remove this cup that we come to true surrender. But to endure, we must stay connected to God in prayer and His Word. Let this Lenten season be one of surrender, endurance, and ultimate victory.
 
Why Do We Choose Our Will Over God’s Will?
Avoiding Pain
Many times, we choose our will instead of God’s because we want to avoid pain. Many of us spend most of our lives trying to avoid pain rather than accepting it as a part of the process of deliverance and healing. Sadly, we also miss out on victory by avoiding pain. Instead of moving forward, we remain stuck in a false sense of security. Actual endurance requires us to push through discomfort. This shows up in facing our fears, confronting challenging situations, and sitting in the pain of difficult situations.
Reflect: In what areas of your life are you avoiding pain instead of trusting God through it?

Lack of Trust in God’s Plan
We choose our will because we don’t fully trust that victory is on the other side of our agony. We convince ourselves that pain will last forever, forgetting that Scripture promises, “Weeping may last through the night, but joy comes in the morning” (Psalm 30:5). We tell ourselves that we cannot handle the stress and complexity of the situation when, really, it is because we don't trust that God will endure with us and bring us through.
Reflect: Are you believing God for your victory on the other side, or are you afraid of the pain?

Struggling to Surrender (Jesus Take the Wheel)
Some of us still want to control things and to change them according to our desires. Yet Jesus, at His most vulnerable moment, surrendered all power to God. True surrender is not easy, but it is necessary. When we struggle to release the steering wheel, we put our will and desires about God's plans.
Reflect: What is one thing you need to surrender to God today?

How Do We Endure the Agony?
Put God’s Will Above Our Own
We must see God’s will as more significant than our own. Scripture reminds us that “His ways are not our ways” (Isaiah 55:8-9). This means putting our faith into action, even when we don’t understand the outcome.

In our lives, putting God’s will above our own might mean navigating a difficult marriage, setting boundaries with a wayward child, forgiving someone who deeply hurt us, or walking away from a career opportunity because it compromises our faith. These acts of obedience may not make sense in the moment, but they are rooted in trusting that God's plan is greater than what we can see.
Reflect: How can you actively choose God’s will in a difficult area of your life today?

Seek Community
Jesus didn’t go through His agony alone. He asked Peter, James, and John to “stay here and keep watch with me.” We need people in our corner who will stand with us, pray with us, and walk through life’s storms together.
Reflect: Who are the people in your life that you can lean on for spiritual support?
 
Accept Pain as Part of the Process 
Many of us have an unhealthy relationship with pain, doing everything possible to avoid it. Yet Jesus embraced the process. Have you ever faced a painful decision that felt like your heart was breaking? Or experienced loss so deep you felt like you couldn’t survive? Facing life’s challenges head-on instead of running from them builds endurance.

In our lives, accepting pain as part of the process may mean trusting God when we don’t understand why we are going through hardship, forgiving when it hurts, or persevering in faith when life feels overwhelming. When we accept pain rather than run from it, we position ourselves for spiritual growth and divine breakthroughs.
Reflect: How have past painful experiences shaped your faith?

Trust God Completely Jesus prayed and wrestled with what was ahead, yet ultimately, He trusted God’s plan. Even when God didn’t remove the cup, Jesus moved forward in faith. Likewise, we must trust that God will bring us to the other side.

In our own lives, trusting God completely may look like stepping out in faith for a ministry opportunity, staying faithful in prayer when we don’t see immediate answers, or believing God for healing when doctors give a grim report. Trusting God means moving forward even when the path ahead is unclear.
Reflect: Is there an area in your life where you struggle to trust God’s plan?

Pray for Strength
Jesus saw prayer as essential in enduring the agony. Spending time alone with God in prayer is our greatest source of strength. Prayer is the medicine we need to endure—it is the epidural when we are birthing something painful.
Reflect: How can you deepen your prayer life to strengthen your endurance?

Enduring for the Sake of Others
Jesus endured the agony not just for Himself but for the salvation of mankind. His suffering brought victory and redemption to the world. Likewise, many times, our suffering is not just for ourselves. When we endure trials with faith, our testimony can bring hope and salvation to others facing similar struggles. This Lent let us see our suffering as a way to stand in the gap for others and offer our endurance as an intercession for those who need strength.
Reflect: How can your endurance serve as a testimony and encouragement to others?
 
The Joy Set Before Us
In Hebrews 12:2, we are reminded that Jesus “for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.” This verse gives us a glimpse into the mindset of Jesus during His agony—He wasn’t fixated on the suffering; He was focused on the joy beyond it. That joy wasn’t just about returning to heaven—it was the joy of fulfilling His divine purpose, redeeming mankind, and walking in resurrection power.

There is something better on the other side of agony. Some blessings, authority, and spiritual blessings can only be accessed when we endure. There are moments in life where we have to bleed emotionally, physically, or even psychologically to give birth to something greater. Endurance costs us something—but what we gain is priceless. Many times, we leave “spiritual oil” and blessings on the table because we refuse to die to ourselves. We shy away from the cutting, the pruning, the process that makes us vessels fit for the purpose God has placed within us.
 
Yes, things must die. Our ego. Our impatience. Our need for control. But in letting them go, we make room for something far more powerful: divine joy, lasting transformation, and spiritual authority. There is no substitute for the anointing that comes through endurance. Taking shortcuts might save you time, but it will cost you the power that comes only through pressing in, staying the course, and enduring the agony.

This Lent, let us make the choice to pay full price. Let us embrace the cross set before us with the same mindset as Jesus, knowing that what is on the other side is worth it. Joy is waiting. Power is waiting. Purpose is waiting.

Prayer: Heavenly Father, Thank You for the example You’ve given us through Jesus on how to endure the agony. Help us to stop seeking spiritual shortcuts and bargains in this life. Instead, give us the courage to pay the full price, knowing that when we walk in Your will, You Walk beside us. Strengthen us for the journey and remind us that joy and victory await on the other side of our obedience.
Amen.