My Soul Is Troubled, What Shall I Say?

In John chapter 12, there's a really powerful scene that many people, including myself, seem to skip over. This passage comes right after Jesus rides into Jerusalem, and right before he washes his disciples' feet. Where I really want to focus is on verses 27-29. Jesus is predicting his coming death as he's teaching, and the passage says this:

Now my soul is troubled, and what shall I say? ‘Father, save me from this hour'? No, it was for this very reason I came to this hour. 28 Father, glorify your name!"

Then a voice came from heaven, "I have glorified it, and will glorify it again." 29 The crowd that was there and heard it said it had thundered; others said an angel had spoken to him.

This is so cool! I mean, did you read that? The voice of the Father came down from heaven. People thought it was thunder or an angel. Jesus explains after this that the voice was for the benefit of the people, not of him, so that they could see God's glory.

Jesus was about to be crucified. He shows here that he has two options. He can ask for the Father to save him, to deliver him from what he is about to endure, or he can choose to glorify the Father! I believe that is something we all face in our lives. We endure struggle, we endure hardship, and we just want God to take it away. We want deliverance! But Jesus shows, we can choose to glorify Him instead. What struck me is that when Jesus chose to glorify the Father in his suffering, God's power showed up in a huge and immediate way! A voice from heaven literally thundered around the crowd.

So, here's my encouragement for you today. In the midst of whatever you're going through, whether that be financial troubles, sickness, or family sorrow, you have a choice in your prayers. God loves you, and he is with you in the suffering. Choose to glorify Him. Choose to say, "Lord, I am in pain, and it almost feels like more than I can bear, but I glorify Your name!" God's power will show through in greater ways than you can imagine.