Jesus proclaimed, “By myself I can do nothing… for I seek not to please myself but Him who sent me.” ~John 5:30

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We all continue to find ourselves in a quandary. We are disoriented by continued bewilderment regarding the uncertainty of our future. Most of us have been compelled to take on responsibilities we may not have otherwise chosen. Many of us lack fervor as we face the current challenges of our days. As I entertain many of the above sentiments, I am galvanized by the example of Jesus. God, in the flesh, stated He could do nothing by Himself. If Jesus was fully persuaded of His need to abide in His Heavenly Father and be linked to Him throughout life, how much more should we follow suit? Jesus sought to be inseparable from His Father in all that He accomplished. His attachment to His Father was because he knew alone He would be ineffectual. He also aspired to please His Father, first and foremost. Jesus placed His desires as secondary. The heart of Jesus was simple: cling to God and make pleasing God, His primary agenda.

Jesus knelt down and prayed, “Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done.” ~Luke 22:42

I continue to be in awe each time I contemplate this specific prayer, expressed in anguish, by Jesus. The powerful example Jesus models for us is thought provoking and challenging. After Jesus pleads for God to remove the impending sentence He knows He is about to face and endure, Jesus immediately submits to His Father’s will. Jesus demonstrates how we can ask anything of God while encouraging us to maintain a deferential spirit to whatever God ultimately decides. Additionally, we are comforted to find God’s provision just after Jesus utters His request. While God does not remove the cup from Jesus, God does equip and prepare Him.

An angel from heaven appeared to Jesus and strengthened Him. ~Luke 22:43

God may not eliminate the suffering we are enduring. He may choose not to extract us from an arduous set of circumstances or a burdensome season. However, He will always provide for us, by way of strengthening us, to endure whatever He is allowing us to encounter.

Moses persevered because he saw Him who is invisible. ~Hebrews 11:27

Moses believed being mistreated and disgraced was of greater value than the treasures of Egypt. He left a life of comfort and chose to resist fear as he trusted God with his future. We, too, can embrace an unknown future as we persevere in a posture of trust in our Creator.

We are going to be anxious if we make life all about the present, about what is only temporary and fleeting. Insanity characterizes everyone who believes they can run their lives without God. The only security is Jesus plus nothing. ~Lydia Brownback

Like Jesus, may we chiefly seek to please God as we pursue reliance on Him in every aspect of life. He created us and placed on this earth, at this time, for purposes far beyond what we can imagine. He sees all we are experiencing and through compassion, He daily strengthens us to accomplish what lies ahead. As Moses exemplified, may we be compelled to persevere as we trust God, who ofttimes remains invisible.

The LORD is good to all; He has compassion on all He has made. ~Psalm 145:9

Author Susie Smith blogs at HE is trustworthy. (Photo Credit: Unsplash.)

We all have aspects of our walk with Christ that we need to grow in. . .What area of your life do you need to work on reliance on the Lord?