How to conquer a great disappointment
On the eve of His death, Jesus experienced possibly the greatest disappointment of his ministry career. His disciples, the men whom He had lived and invested his life into, went to sleep while He was praying for his very life.
Matthew 26:40–41
Then he returned to his disciples and found them sleeping. “Couldn’t you men keep watch with me for one hour?” he asked Peter. 41 “Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.”
Jesus was in the midst of travailing in prayer knowing that He was about to carry the sins of the world and be separated from His Father for the first time in all time. God the Father would have to turn his back on Himself (in Jesus) and Jesus was about to experience the greatest pain anyone could ever feel. He asked the Father to release Him from the assignment although He knew He had to fulfil it.
he returned to his disciples and found them sleeping.
Then He returned to his disciples for a moment to share his burden. But they were sleeping. They could not comprehend or feel what He was going through. This is the ultimate disappointment. When someone you love lacks empathy for you in your greatest need. He had invested three years in training them for this moment and they still did not get it!
Couldn’t you men keep watch with me for one hour?
So Jesus expressed his disappointment to Peter. He did not bottle it up but shared his pain with one of the men closest to Him. He simply reset the expectation: couldn’t you watch with me. He didn’t complain. He was not emotional. He just set the atmosphere straight. “Peter, I’m disappointed. I had expected you to be awake and praying.”
The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.
Even in this moment of pain and in expectation of a greater pain, Jesus remained gracious. How? He understood that the flesh, the default nature of humanity was weak. In fact, it was the reason He had to die. To redeem it. So in the moment Jesus substituted His pain for understanding and compassion. He didn’t excuse them, He didn’t lower expectation, He just applied grace.
Then He went back to the Father to pray for them! This is how Jesus conquered great disappointment.
Application
- How do youfeel
when someone close to you lets you down? - How does Jesus treat you when you let him down?
- How much grace do you have when disappointed?
Prayer
Lord help me in any disappointment I am feeling at the moment. Please give me compassion for where they are at even if they should have known better. Give me grace to be like you and love through the moment.
