Blogging Through Embracing Gethsemane: Navigating Life’s Darkest Moments - Discussion Question

As I am writing my blog series for Embracing Gethsemane: Navigating Life's Darkest Moments, I've been compelled to reflect deeply on how such times challenge my belief in the goodness of God and my convictions.

In this post I explore one of the discussion questions at the end of Chapter One of my book Embracing Gethsemane: Navigating Life’s Darkest Moments. The question is this:

How does the experience of a Gethsemane moment challenge both your belief in the goodness of God and your convictions?

By its nature, a Gethsemane moment strikes at the heart of your faith. When confronted with overwhelming pain or sorrow, the immediate human response can often be one of doubt. "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" Jesus cried out on the cross (Matthew 27:46). This anguished plea resonates deeply with anyone who has felt abandoned in their darkest hour. Here, the challenge is not just to the belief in God’s goodness but to the very presence of God in our suffering. In these moments, the theological becomes deeply personal, and the omnipresent God can seem distant or indifferent.

For me, navigating these moments has required a profound trust that is often fought for in the depths of prayer and reflection. The belief in God's ultimate goodness doesn't negate the reality of current suffering but frames it within a larger, divine narrative. Romans 8:28 reminds us, "And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose." This verse does not promise an absence of suffering, but a purpose through suffering, though that purpose may not be immediately apparent.

My convictions have been both challenged and strengthened in my Gethsemane moments. The easy platitudes about faith I believed have been stripped away, replaced by a deeper, more rugged faith. It's a faith that wrestles with uncertainty and yet holds onto the character of God as revealed in Scripture. I've learned that faith is not static; it is dynamic, responding to life's tumultuous seas with a tenacity that refuses to let go of God, even when everything else seems uncertain.

In my reflections, I often return to the image of Jesus in Gethsemane, a moment where He, too, wrestled with the will of God. "Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done" (Luke 22:42). In echoing Jesus' submission, I am reminded that Gethsemane moments are not just about enduring pain but about understanding submission to a will greater than my own.

This submission does not come easily; it is often accompanied by tears, prayers, and anguished pleas for relief.

Yet, these moments of surrender are transformative. They are where I learn the true depth of my convictions and the resilience of my faith. They force me to confront my beliefs about God's goodness, not just in times of blessing but crucially, in times of despair.

Navigating life's darkest moments demands a faith that is honest about the realities of suffering and hopeful about the ultimate goodness of God. In this journey, as I embrace my own Gethsemane moments, I am continually learning to hold onto faith with a firmer grip, knowing that even in the darkest times, or perhaps especially then, God is working out His purposes in ways I might only understand in retrospect.

How would you answer this question?

How does the experience of a Gethsemane moment challenge both your belief in the goodness of God and your convictions?

I explore these thoughts and more in my new book Embracing Gethsemane: Navigating Life’s Darkest Moments. You can purchase the book here: https://amzn.to/3IwgFHa

Jim

The Chaplain Writer