⁴² “Father, if you are willing, take this cup away from me—nevertheless, not my will, but yours, be done.” (Luke 22:42 CSB)

We may often pray the first part of this scripture, but how often the latter?

Even Christ, in anguish over what he knew was coming, prayed that it be taken from him. But he too knew that the will of the Father was so much more important than even his life.

There is no sin, no wrong, in not wanting to drink from the cup of sadness, anguish or pain. Fear is a most human trait. But as the old saying goes, “pain is inevitable, suffering is optional.” And suffering is what we do with our pain.

But as we turn our eyes toward the Father we can let Him be the relief for our suffering by accepting His will. This acceptance can be difficult, but what we will find is a form of peace that can only come from accepting what God has planned for us.

If we can do this we find that life is so much more livable and acceptable even when our cup is not full of what we want.

We ask God for what we wish and then relinquish our will for His.