A friend once described a depressed time in her life as “dark days of the soul”—a picturesque explanation of the heavy weight that accompanied her.
As we approach resurrection weekend, I am reminded of the heavy weight that accompanied our Lord on the night He was betrayed. He knew He was in a vulnerable place and asked His friends, Peter, James, and John, to accompany Him to the Garden of Gethsemane and in prayer.
In Luke’s account, we learn that Jesus sweat drops of blood as He asked his Father if it were possible to let this cup pass from Him. But look at the descriptive language Matthew uses to describe Jesus’ state of mind before he heads to the cross.
36 Then Jesus went with them to a place called Gethsemane, and he said to his disciples, “Sit here, while I go over there and pray.” 37 And taking with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, he began to be sorrowful and troubled. 38 Then he said to them, “My soul is very sorrowful, even to death; remain here, and watch with me.” 39 And going a little farther he fell on his face and prayed, saying, “My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will.” (Matt. 26:36-39)
How would you describe Jesus’ state of mind?
Knowing what was to come—the betrayal and the sin He would take upon himself—I see the Messiah pass through several dark days of the soul.
However, the powerful beauty and hope of the resurrection would not be as sweet without the preceding dark days of the soul.
May we remember the hope of the resurrection when we pass through the dark days of our soul.
Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?” (John 11:25-26)