Discussion Questions:

1) Was there anything from the sermon or the passage that stuck out to you?

2) We often approach prayer with our own plans and desires already firmly in mind. Sometimes these desires feel deeply right and good to us, making it particularly challenging to hold them loosely. Even Jesus, in his humanity, expressed his genuine desire to avoid suffering while still submitting to God's will. When was the last time you had to wrestle with surrendering something that felt right and good to you?

3) Many people develop a habit of turning to prayer primarily during times of crisis or urgent need. However, just as athletes train consistently to prepare for major competitions, regular prayer builds spiritual endurance for challenging times. What obstacles currently prevent you from developing a more consistent prayer life outside of crisis moments?

4) The idea of being completely vulnerable with God can feel uncomfortable or even frightening. We often sanitize our prayers, saying what we think we should say rather than expressing our true thoughts and feelings. Yet God invites us to pour out our hearts honestly before him, just as Jesus did in Gethsemane. What keeps you from being fully honest with God in prayer?

5) The distance between crisis and resolution can feel unbearably long. Even Jesus experienced a three-day gap between his surrendered prayer in Gethsemane and the resurrection victory. God's timing rarely matches our preferred timeline, yet His faithfulness remains constant. How do you maintain trust in God's timing when the wait feels overwhelming?