Nevertheless

In the garden of Gethsemane, Jesus was pressed—not like the olives grown there. He was crushed by the weight of what was to come. In fact, the scripture tells us that He was troubled and deeply distressed. His soul was exceedingly sorrowful, even to death (Mark 14:33-34).

This reminds us that Jesus is fully human—just as He is fully God. It was part of His human experience to feel sorrow and sadness—so much so that He felt He might die. And yet, Jesus was sinless. He was perfect.

This also shows us that it isn’t a sin to be sad, troubled, or sorrowful—it’s part of the human experience. Jesus was facing something so awful—to be a sin offering to receive the full wrath of God—that He was deeply distressed by it.

He understood what was about to happen and asked His Father if there was another way His will could be accomplished. “Nevertheless,” Jesus prays, “not what I will, but what You will.” (Mark 14:36)

​This is part of the human experience too—for a human whose heart has been gripped by the goodness and holiness of God. For God has promised that the trouble, distress, and sorrow of this life is not the end of the story.