Yesterday, we concluded this semester's class in our Homiletics 2 class. One of my students delivered his final sermon task. His selected text was Matthew 26:36 to 46, about Jesus' prayer at Gethsemane.

The narrative is not easy to exegete. It is also not easy to glean its central idea. What is obvious in the narrative is that Jesus is the main character, and the reference to him has been mentioned twelve times.

As for Jesus' action, the scenario is like he had been switching between talking to his disciples and praying to the Father. And as he kept returning to his disciples, he found them sinking deeper into their sleep and left alone in his sorrow and trouble.

The specific thing that made Jesus sorrowful and deeply troubled was the death on the cross that he was about to face. Judas' betrayal and the disciples' abandonment of him made such an approaching death even worse. In fact, to find strength in facing the cross, Jesus prayed to the Father three times for the same burden that troubled him.

We all know from experience that what makes betrayal and abandonment painful is the fact that such acts are done by people who are closest to us. These are the people we love and trust the most. You cannot say that something is a betrayal if it is done by someone distant from you. Such action would not affect us. But betrayal and abandonment done by people most intimate to us is very destructive, emotionally, psychologically, and spiritually. The question is, when confronted with such a situation, what are we supposed to do? Or perhaps the better question is, what does the experience of Jesus tell us about facing betrayal and abandonment?

Share Your Pain, But Be Realistic

First, it is natural to share the things that make us sorrowful and troubled with people close to us. However, we should be realistic when it comes to our expectations. People have their own personal burdens, or personal "demons," to fight. Being too idealistic in your expectation from your loved ones will surely lead to frustration. In the case of the disciples, they struggle to stay awake in a time that Jesus needed company the most. Despite their verbal commitment that they were willing to die with Jesus, they left him suffering alone. Likewise, expecting too much from people will make you realize the discrepancy between what people say and what they actually do. They could promise you heaven but give you hell instead. Such is human nature.

Tell Your Burdens to the Father

Usually, when people suffer betrayal, the usual response is either a complete withdrawal from them or from the presence of God. We are too afraid to trust people again. We want to protect ourselves, and that is why we set boundaries. Peace above anything becomes the most important thing for us. We want to recover from our brokenness and keep our emotional wholeness.

Setting boundaries is a wise response in the aftermath of tragic emotional suffering. However, to withdraw from the presence of God is a big mistake. Blaming Him for your misery is not only unwise; it will also prolong your suffering, for He alone understands the depth of your pains and remains stable when people and situations give you nothing but chaos.

Jesus Understands

Remember that Jesus is 100% human and 100% divine. As a man, his suffering was real. The pain of betrayal, abandonment, and death on the cross is real. No one is more capable of helping you in a time when someone betrays and abandons you, except Jesus, because He Himself suffered the same pain. This is what the author of Hebrews tells us:

For because he himself has suffered when tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted (Hebrews 2:18).

For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin (ESV, Hebrews 4:15).

Jesus suffered deep sorrow and was troubled by the betrayal of one of his disciples. He was even abandoned by the other disciples in a time that he needed the most someone to understand and sympathize with him. They failed him despite their promises to stay with him until the end.

Suffering the pain of betrayal and abandonment, it is natural to share your struggle with people you trust, but be realistic when it comes to your expectation. Never withdraw from the presence of God, but tell him everything that troubles you. Above all, since Jesus Christ, our Great High Priest, suffered the pain of betrayal and abandonment himself, he can help you overcome whatever pain you are facing right now.

Check When Others Fail, You Remain.

Grace and peace!