After
seeing this Jesus was troubled in spirit, and declared, “Very truly, I tell you,
one of you will betray me.” John 13.21
Jesus is
troubled in spirit. I don’t think of Jesus as being troubled in His spirit. I
see Him as above this. This present realisation that He is in fact troubled
could be disconcerting for me, but it isn’t. I find it encouraging.
There are
times when I feel troubled in spirit. Inside me there comes an alarm, an
agitation, even a fear. Often it has no sound factual basis. It might be a
vivid imagination playing tricks with me. But the troubled spirit is real.
What Jesus
might have been envisioning when His spirit became troubled was far from
imaginary. He had quoted from Scripture: The one who ate my bread has lifted his head
against me. (v.18) He now tells the disciples that one of them will
betray Him. He has a sensing of the torture and torment that lies ahead. And He
is troubled in spirit.
The cause of
Jesus’ troubled spirit may well be more real and more threatening than anything
I might experience, but it helps me greatly.
When I “freak
out” with concern or worry, the rationalisation of my mind to tell me than I’m
worrying unduly, that I’m making a mountain out of a molehill, doesn’t really
help. My emotional state takes over from any logical thinking. But when I stir
in my spirit the reminder of Jesus being troubled, it somehow connects me with
Him in a strong, real and purposeful way. My spirit calms my emotions and I
draw close to Him. I remember that He overcame the very real trouble that beset
Him. And He will walk beside me through whatever I face, be it real or
imaginary.
Lord Jesus.
You knew trial and testing, pain and anguish. And You experienced
a troubled spirit. I remind myself of this and I embrace You, in all of my life
but particularly in those times when I am hit by unnatural or unrealistic
challenge or anxiety. I remember that You are with me, and will walk through
alongside me. Thank You, Jesus. Amen.
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