What are you sweating?

Mark 14:34 (ESV)

And he said to them, “My soul is very sorrowful, even to death. Remain here and watch.”

I don’t think anybody saw it coming. I don’t think anyone expected to hear that Robin Williams had committed suicide. Robin Williams was a comedian who brought joy and laughter to many people from many generations. And just like that, we discovered that he had an inner darkness and a deep sadness that led him to take his own life.

What’s scary is that his story isn’t so strange. There is a darkness and a deep sadness in many people that lies hidden behind smiles and laughter. What are you sweating?

I’m talking about the trivial things we worry about—making it to a meeting on time, looming deadlines, family crises, broken devices, the news, terrorist threats, the dwindling oil supply, another downturn in the economy, or an endless number of other things.

Maybe it’s more serious than all that. Are you sweating bullets? Maybe it’s an illness in the family, an impending move, a job loss, struggling to pay the bills, even a relationship on the rocks. This is the bigger stuff, the stuff that really affects our lives.

Maybe there is something so heavy on your hearts that you’re sweating blood. You may be so overwhelmed with fear, sadness, and depression that you’re sweating drops of blood, overwhelmed to the point of death.

That’s what Jesus felt when he prayed in Gethsemane. Jesus was sweating blood because of his anguish. That is precisely what he confessed to his disciples. Jesus was so overwhelmed by what he was carrying and by what he was about to do that he turned to his disciples and asked them to pray with him. That’s how heavy this burden was.

But that’s just it. He already carried this burden to give you peace. He did it willingly and gladly to lighten your burden and to wipe the sweat from your brow. He carried your burden to heal you and give you peace. That’s what Isaiah promised he would do: The punishment that brought us peace was upon him and by his wounds we are healed.

Dear Lord, You sweat drops of blood and carried our burden to bring us healing and peace. Give us this hope and this healing when we are sweating all the things that happen in our life. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.