Let This Cup Pass. . . .

By Greg Laurie, Op-ed contributor Sunday, October 25, 2009

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."
- Matthew 26:39

Even Jesus, when He was in the Garden of Gethsemane, recoiled from what was ahead. He prayed, "O My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me." Jesus, who was sinless and perfect and holy, was looking into the abyss of all the wicked things of this world and knew He would have to bear all that sin upon himself.

Sometimes it is possible for that so-called cup to pass. Sometimes God will answer our prayer in the affirmative and get us out of the situation we are in, like the disciples who cried out for help on the storm-tossed Sea of Galilee, and Jesus calmed the storm. Or like the sick who were healed or the dead who were raised by Jesus.

When a crisis hits and we cry out to God, He often will change our circumstances. I have seen people in the most dire of circumstances have their situation turned around by the power of God. And I think we always should pray for this.

But there are also times when God says, "No, you have to go through it." We might answer, "Never, Lord." But ultimately we will have to say, "Yes, Lord."

I have seen God work through the greatest tragedy of my life. And to be honest, if I could change my circumstances, I would change them and have my son Christopher back with us. But I don't have that option.

So if we believe in the providence of God, then we know that He is in control of all things. We also know that He allows things for purposes that we will not necessarily understand. So our attitude needs to be, "Lord, I don't like it. I don't understand it. I don't want it. But I will say, 'Yes, Lord.' "