When Anxiety Strikes: 

Praying Like Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane

Anxiety can feel like a suffocating darkness, a relentless storm in our minds. But in our deepest moments of fear and worry, there's a powerful source of comfort and strength: prayer.

In the Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus himself faced overwhelming anxiety and anguish. His prayer in this moment offers us a profound model for finding peace in the midst of our own struggles.

A Prayer Born of Anguish (Luke 22:39-46)

In Gethsemane, Jesus knew what lay ahead: betrayal, torture, and a horrific death. The weight of this knowledge pressed down on Him, causing deep emotional distress. He pleaded with His Father: "Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done."

Jesus' prayer wasn't a display of weakness, but a testament to His humanity. He felt the full force of human emotion – fear, sorrow, anguish. Yet, He didn't succumb to despair. Instead, He turned to His Father in prayer, surrendering His will to God's.

Lessons for Anxious Hearts

Jesus' prayer offers us several powerful lessons for navigating anxiety:

1. Acknowledge Your Feelings: Jesus didn't try to deny or suppress His emotions. He openly expressed His fear and sorrow to His Father. When anxiety overwhelms you, don't try to bury it. Bring your feelings honestly before God.

2. Seek God's Will: Jesus' primary concern wasn't escaping suffering, but aligning His will with God's. In our own anxious moments, we can pray for God's guidance and strength, trusting that His plans for us are good.

3. Surrender to God's Peace: Even in His distress, Jesus surrendered to His Father's will. This surrender opened the door for God's peace to fill His heart. When anxiety threatens to consume us, surrendering to God's peace can be a lifeline.

4. Repeat as Needed: Jesus prayed the same prayer three times in the garden, emphasizing the importance of persistence in prayer. When anxiety persists, don't give up on prayer. Keep returning to God, seeking His presence and peace.

Applying Jesus' Prayer to Your Life

When anxiety strikes, take a moment to breathe deeply and center yourself. Then, try praying a prayer similar to Jesus':

"Father, I'm feeling anxious and overwhelmed. I don't know what to do, but I trust in Your goodness and love. Please guide me and give me strength. Your will be done."

Repeat this prayer as often as needed, allowing God's peace to fill your heart and mind.

Remember: You are not alone in your anxiety. Jesus understands your struggles, and He is with you every step of the way.

Praying as Jesus Prayed

Knowing and talking with God as Jesus did.

Virtually everyone who plays sports or instruments has a hero they try to pattern themselves after. When it comes to praying, Paul is good but Jesus is the best example.

John chapter 17 captures the longest and most detailed prayer of Jesus. Below is a list of requests, phrases, or prompts all based on that prayer that will help us to pray as Jesus prayed. Please don’t approach this to gain a prayer vocabulary that will be impressive. Instead, learn to talk and know God as Jesus did. We want to know how to talk to God naturally and with confidence.

• Glorify Yourself by the exaltation of Your Son (v. 1)

• Be enlarged in our thinking - Expand the limits of our thinking

• Let us submit to the authority of Your Son (v. 2)

• Thank You that our lives are eternal (v. 2)

• Help us to keep Your word (v. 6)

• We understand that everything we have is a gift (v. 7)

• Be revealed to those who are Yours (v. 6)

• Take possession of those who are Yours (v. 6)

• Let us pass on the message we have (v. 8)

• Let others accept and believe the message of Jesus (v. 8)

• We pray for those who belong to You (v. 9)

• Allow us to bring glory to You (v. 10)

• Protect Your people by the power of Your name (v. 11)

• Let believers experience unity (vv. 11, 21-23)

• Guard us so none are lost (v. 12)

• Fill us with Your joy (v. 13)

• Keep us safe from the evil one (v. 15)

• Remove our sense of belonging to this world (vv. 14-16, 18)

• Make us holy and set apart for Your purpose (v. 17) 

• Teach us Your word which is Your truth (v. 17)

• Let us live as on a mission for You (v. 18)

• Let us be vitally connected to You; united and rooted (v. 21)

• Let our union with You yield more who believe (v. 21)

• Help us understand the gift of glory (v. 22)

• Dwell in us (vv. 22-23)

• Bring us into the presence of Christ to behold His glory (v. 24)

• Be revealed among us (vv. 25-26)

• Be revealed to the world (vv. 25-26)

• Love us like You loved Jesus (v. 26)

• Help us bring that love to the world