THE SPIRIT IS WILLING

Jesus said to them, “The spirit is willing, the body is weak.” 

In the garden of Gethsemane, Jesus asked Peter, James, and John to keep watch while He went to pray.  On His return, they were asleep.  He addressed Peter (who was not ever going to desert Him), “Simon, are you asleep?  Could you not keep watch for one hour?  Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation.  The spirit is willing, but the body is weak” (Mk 14:37b-38).

It is not enough to will, to wish or hope to be something.  It takes motivation and intentional effort to reach a desired goal.  So often, people who for very good reasons need to lose weight are unsuccessful, because they are unable to put in the hard work and discipline required to achieve their goal.  Remember that, although the spirit is willing, the body is weak.

The apostle Paul once said, “What I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do” (Rom 7:15b).  This is an indication that willing is not enough to achieve a goal.  Jesus said to them, “The spirit is willing, the body is weak.” 

What goal are you trying to achieve?  How much effort are you putting into it?  For example:

·      If you’d like to know the word of God better than you do now, you’ll have to make the effort, put in the time to read and study it, consistently, sometimes alone, and other times with a group.  You’ll need to pray for understanding as you read, ask questions, when something is unclear.

·      If you don’t want to keep repeating a particular mistake (sin), you’ll have to get past wishing; you have to take positive steps.  In addition to praying about it, you might have to stop going to certain places, stop hanging out with a particular group, or make the needed changes.  You can’t just wish this, that, and the other, and then hang out with the same people who drag you down.  Remember, the body is weak.

·      If you wish you prayed more often, you have to make a deliberate effort to set time aside to pray consistently.  It shouldn’t be when you are free, because you might never be free long enough to pray; the devil will always find you something that appears more urgent, that needs your immediate attention.  Remember, the body is weak!

from Pearl Nsiah-Kumi