Jesus is the best example!

Matthew 26:36-39

36 Then Jesus came with them to a place called Gethsemane, and said to the disciples, “Sit here while I go and pray over there.” 37 And He took with Him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and He began to be sorrowful and deeply distressed. 38 Then He said to them, “My soul is exceedingly sorrowful, even to death. Stay here and watch with Me.”
39 He went a little farther and fell on His face, and prayed, saying, “O My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as You will.”


This was one of the three passages in our Sunday School book yesterday and it was one that kind of hit home for me...  

Jesus was a man and it's stated throughout the Bible that because He was man, that he suffered as man did, in the area of being tempted/struggling but since He was part God too - He never did actually sin. That was part of His covenant with God, He would live a sinless life and die a gruesome death all so that He could save the lives of millions later. Obviously that is the most precious part to us as christians, the part in where we are most thankful and spend the most time dwelling- His death on the Cross....

Lately I've been in what seems like a constant struggle. All of the time not really knowing exactly why I was struggling so much, but knowing that since I'm so uber human and really seeking God in my struggle that in time it would be revealed. I won't share because it honestly isn't that important to share - I'm not commiting murder or anything :) Just something that I guess God really needed me to get and so I finally have, ... I think.

I find myself really thinking more about Jesus. Not only His struggle of death on the Cross but His EVERYDAY struggle to be perfect. He was man and felt what being tempted felt like, He was at times both weak and tired, no doubt exhausted from the dealings of it all. The passage above says that He was distressed and sorrowful, but at the end it says pretty much that He still wanted God's will even if that did mean struggle. In His struggle here - He still was not sinning.

Could you imagine spending EVERY single day like this? He was born as a babe just like the rest of us and grew into an adult just as we all do... It's more than amazing, it's enough to make you look at your life and say - What do I do in my struggle? Do I whine and complain? Do I sin? Do I seek God's will still or plea for my own? Do I obey when He commands me to go a certain way or do I walk my own way and receive consequence later? Do I bring others down because I'm suffering and bring them to suffer too?
What do we do when we struggle? I can say that when I'm struggling - I'm a pretty miserable person... I don't count it all joy, and even though I may seek God out in my struggle, I pretty much still feel selfish while I'm doing it. Honestly, I have to think to myself - what exactly is my motive for calling out to God in my time of need? Is it so that my struggle will just disappear and I won't have to deal with it anymore or is it because I reallllly want to learn what He has and am willing to struggle for it a little so that He may make me stronger/our bond/relationship stronger as well?


Jesus is an amazing example - So un-selfish, worthy, perfect, loving and all endurance to a T. Follow His example -

Learn what God may have for you to learn and don't be selfish in it. Truly seek out what God is trying to teach you and accept whatever He has for you at that time - Even if it does mean struggling to get there. It's not a sin to suffer for the sake of righteousness... Being weak and tired aren't sins and neither is the struggle in itself- its what you do in it, with it and during/after it....