PRAYER

As you grow closer to Jesus, you are going to want to learn more about Him, right? That’s the nature of your growth track journey. As you personally grow, your prayer life will inevitably follow.

Prayer. This may be one of the most important practices for any Christian. We often say things like “Pray every day” or “Have you said your morning prayers?” However, this practice can be difficult for many. Real talk. Have you ever felt like you’re ranting to the ceiling during your evening prayers? Or maybe you’ve wondered if your words are just vanishing into thin air? It’s time to break free from this trap, and that’s the goal of this section of Growth Track.

It’s a tragedy, but I know so many Christians who feel a sense of shame when they reflect on the state of their prayer lives. Why is that? We know it’s important, but we struggle to do it. Let us help you. How? I believe that knowing why we pray is the key to helping us fall in love with the practice.

Prayer isn’t just something we do—it’s the foundation of our friendship with God. It’s how we connect with Him, learn to live like Him, and develop supernatural strength from the Spirit. It brings us closer to Him, transforms us, and reminds us that walking and talking with God are the same. That’s why understanding these principles about prayer is pivotal.

Every moment of Christ’s ministry was surrounded by prayer, so finding a story about Jesus praying is not hard. However, we are about to look at one of the most intimate prayer moments in the entire Bible. Let’s read the most vulnerable prayer in the New Testament. Before we begin, let’s get some context. The background of this scene is significant. Jesus prayed this prayer on the night of his arrest and eventual mock trial. Jesus knew that He was about to be betrayed. Jesus knew that He was about to be tortured. Jesus knew that He was about to die for His people. So what did He do? He prayed. We can learn a lot about the purpose of prayer from this moment.

READ: Luke 22:39-46

Jesus went out as usual to the Mount of Olives, and his disciples followed him. On reaching the place, he said to them, “Pray that you will not fall into temptation.” He withdrew about a stone’s throw beyond them, knelt down and prayed, “Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done.” An angel from heaven appeared to him and strengthened him. And being in anguish, he prayed more earnestly, and his sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground. When he rose from prayer and went back to the disciples, he found them asleep, exhausted from sorrow.  “Why are you sleeping?” he asked them. “Get up and pray so that you will not fall into temptation.”

Talking with God and Walking with Him Are Inseparable

Two words in this passage are easy to miss, but they pack a powerful punch. Notice that the Apostle Luke points out that Jesus went out to the Mount of Olives “as usual.” Do not miss that phrase. Jesus knew that walking with God and talking with Him were completely inseparable. Focused prayer was a major part of Jesus’s ritual.

In this story, Jesus is turning to God in a time of grim clarity. He is wrestling with His impending death. However, He didn’t turn to God because he was overwhelmed. He turned to God during his normally scheduled appointment. Prayer was such a part of His daily practice that the two moments just happened to intersect.

We should learn from this. Pray when things are good. Pray when things are bad. Pray when things make sense. Pray when they are confusing. All in all, just make prayer a significant part of your day. Why? Because you’re inevitably going to need guidance and clarity. If you want to walk with God, you need to talk with God. However, there is a reason for our ritual.

Not to get ahead of ourselves, but prayer gives us strength and helps us fight temptation. Notice that Jesus gave his disciples the exact intention behind their time of prayer twice in this passage. Two times, He explained, “Pray so that you will not fall into temptation” (Luke 22:40, 46). On your journey with Jesus, temptation will try to draw you off the trail and push you off the path. Prayer helps you stay focused on fulfilling your purpose. So, if things seem hard, you certainly need to be praying twice as hard—not because it may change your circumstances but because it will change you. Let’s look at our second point.

Prayer Doesn’t Just Change Your Circumstances; It Changes You

What makes this prayer so vulnerable? Jesus prayed, “Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done.” Jesus asked if God was willing to tweak His plan. While the theology of this can be confusing, let’s just focus on the relatability. Jesus was stepping into the scariest weekend of His life, so he prayed for God to change things. However, Jesus ended his prayer by surrendering to God’s will. Jesus knew that God might not change His circumstances, and He was okay with that.

Tears rolled down Christ’s cheeks, and an internal haemorrhage made Him sweat bullets of blood. Jesus was in the agony of anticipation. He knew the torment of tomorrow. He knew that His folded hands would have nails pierced through their most sensitive parts. In this usually peaceful moment, He could practically feel the anguish of His coming crucifixion. He asked if God would “take this cup” from Him. Did God change the plan? Did God call the whole thing off? No. And that’s good news for us.

Prayer Provides Peace When Problems Persist

The Apostle Mark adds an interesting detail to this prayer that Luke doesn’t. Mark explains that Jesus opened his prayer with “Abba, Father, everything is possible for you. Take this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will” (Mark 14:36). Look at that new word: “Abba.” This is the Jewish colloquial word for dad; It’s very similar to when a kid says “Papa” or “Daddy.”

His language goes to show the deep relational bond here. He’s speaking to God using the same language that almost every Jewish child would use to address their father in a moment of fear. Why would He use this language? Because the relational reminder of God’s fatherhood provided Jesus with peace while consumed by impending pain.

When I was a kid and wanted to get something, I would often ham up the pet names I had for my mom. I’d say things like, “Mama, do you think you could give me some candy?” With a lump in her throat, my mom would often say something like, “You will spoil your dinner, honey, so no.” Now, does that mean my mom didn’t love me? Nope, quite the opposite. She loved me so much that she allowed short-term disappointment as she knew it’d lead to my long-term development. She loved me enough to allow discomfort. While this metaphor may be flawed because we’re comparing candy to crucifixion, God does the same for us. Our Father is thinking big-picture while we are stunted by our limited point of view.

Interestingly, God didn’t change the plan, but He did give Jesus exactly what He needed: strength. God sent an angel to give Him the power to carry through. Your father will do the same for you. Notice that God did not change the situation; He just changed Jesus’s strength. Jesus still went to the cross, but He was able to have peace. Jesus still faced his betrayer, but He was strengthened by God’s love. Jesus was still put in a tomb, but God gave Him the strength to break out.

Do you see the meaning of this? God didn’t do what Jesus asked. He did something better. God gave Him what He needed in direct alignment with His purpose. If you have been praying and things don’t seem to be changing, please know that change is 100% happening. That change just happens to be within you instead of around you.

As you grow closer to God during your Growth Track journey, please let prayer be a priority. When we approach prayer with a faulty mindset, we are setting ourselves up for a letdown. Your Abba Father is a good dad. He wants the best for you. Allow your prayer practice to soothe you, shape you, and strengthen you.

REFLECTION QUESTIONS

Go through these questions with your circle. Be honest. Be open. Talk through the tough stuff.

Ice Breaker: Go around your circle and share this week’s highs and lows. What was the best part of your week, and what was the lowest part of your week?

Q1: What stood out to you most about Jesus’s prayer on the Mount of Olives?  

Q2: What significance does the term “Abba” hold in Jesus’s prayer according to Mark 14?

Q3: What do you feel are the most common struggles people face when trying to pray? 

Q4: What advice would you give to someone trying to develop a better prayer life? 

Q5: How can understanding “not my will, but yours” change your prayer life, perspective, and decision-making?

Application: How can you incorporate regular prayer into your daily routine?