At the end of a Bible class on “Your Faith Can Overcome Worry,” a comment was made and question asked about Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane. As He anticipated the horrendous suffering that He was about to endure, was He worried about it? Did He violate His own instructions about “do not worry” (cf. Matt. 6:25, 31, 34; Phil. 4:6)?
There is no doubt that Jesus was “troubled,” “deeply distressed,” “exceedingly sorrowful,” “in agony” and shouting out with “vehement cries and tears” (Mark 14:33; Matt. 26:38-44; Luke 22:44; Heb. 5:7). But, was He worrying about the hours ahead? There is a difference between concerned anguish and fretful worry. Two things indicate that Jesus was not worrying: First, Jesus was trusting in His Father (“not My will, but Yours, be done,” Luke 22:42), and second, Jesus got up and did what needed to be done (“Rise, let us be going,” Matt. 26:46).
To avoid worry, follow Jesus’ example: Build your trust in your Father and get up and do what needs to be done.