“Keep watch and pray, so that you will not give in to temptation. For the spirit is willing, but the body is weak!”
Matthew 26:41 NLT
These words were spoken to Peter, by Jesus. Jesus was about to face the ultimate trial of His earthly life. Yet, Jesus also knew that Peter, and the other disciples, were about to face their own intense trials. Knowing this, Jesus advised them to pray so that they wouldn't fall into temptation.
The disciples weren't told to pray so the trial wouldn't occur, it was going to occur no matter what - just like many of our trials. Jesus was giving them wise advice. Praying - talking with God - puts our brain, soul and spirit in an alignment of peace, faith and love. This alignment with God's Spirit would have given the disciples an edge against the fearful circumstances they were about to experience.
Trials in our lives increase internal feelings of stress, fear & anxiety. These can lead to other external, unhealthy behaviors and desires. I often 'miss the mark' when I try to battle fear and stress on my own. When faced with intense trials in my life I have seen myself respond in various ways; lying, anger, fighting, yelling, Isolation, smoking, selfish sexual behaviors, drugs, etc.
If we are faced with the death of a loved one, divorce, job loss, a child on drugs, unfaithfulness, etc., we experience an internal struggle. Trials of unlimited variety incite fear, anxiety and worry. We fall into temptation initially when we give into the fears and anxieties. The wrong behaviors are only secondary.
As the story played out we see that Peter 'gave into temptation'. He denied Jesus. Yet, the denial was actually the secondary, and external failure. Peter had first given into the temptation of fear, anxiety and worry. If the internal fear, anxiety and worry could have been overcome then the external act of denial wouldn't have occurred. Our external acts, or sins, are only symptoms of the virus inside - the virus of fear, anxiety and worry.
“The spirit is willing, but the body is weak.” The virus of fear resides in ‘the body’, or in our physical brain - our flesh. Within our spirit is where God's peace, faith and love reside. Because Peter hadn’t prayed and aligned his spirit, soul and brain with God’s peace, faith and love, he was not prepared for the intense and sudden fear that arose within him. Peter ultimately denied Jesus due to fear.
Knowing that we will face trials of many kinds we should heed the wise advice of Jesus. “Keep watch and pray, so that you will not give in to temptation. For the spirit is willing, but the body is weak!” By remaining in constant communication with God, (praying without ceasing), we will be more aligned with peace, faith and love. Which will help us to face our trials bravely, and get through them victoriously.
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