The prayers of Jesus and the prayers of the Apostle Paul

I found myself comparing the prayers of Jesus and the prayers of the Apostle Paul.

Jesus' Prayer:

"My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me;

nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will" (Mt. 26:42);

"Abba, Father, all things are possible for you.

Remove this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will" (Mk. 14:36).

Apostle Paul's Prayer:

"So to keep me from becoming conceited

because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations,

a thorn was given me in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to harass me,

to keep me from becoming conceited.

Three times I pleaded with the Lord about this" (2 Cor. 12:7-8).

When comparing Jesus' prayer and Paul's prayer,

it seems that Jesus and His apostle Paul offered prayers with similar content.

Of course, there is a vast difference between Jesus' "this cup" and Paul's "thorn in the flesh,"

but the essence remains the same.

The similar essence lies in the fact that both Jesus and the Apostle Paul prayed for

"this cup" (Jesus) or "this thing" (Paul's "thorn in the flesh")

to "pass away" (Jesus) or "be taken away" (Paul),

meaning to be removed or departed from them.

In other words, both Jesus and His apostle Paul prayed for

"this cup" (Jesus) or "this thing" (Paul's "thorn in the flesh") to be taken away or depart from them.

However, the difference lies in the response to their prayers.

While Jesus prayed, "Yet not what I will, but what you will" (Mk. 14:36),

Paul received the response from the Lord: "My grace is sufficient for you..." (2 Cor. 12:9).

As a result,

Jesus drank "this cup" in obedience to the will of His Father (Phil. 2:8),

willingly shedding His blood on the cross (Mt. 27:50; Mk. 15:37; Lk. 23:46; Jn. 19:30).

On the other hand, Paul found joy in his weaknesses, hardships, persecutions,

and difficulties for the sake of Christ (2 Cor. 12:10).

He even boasted in his weaknesses, finding joy in them (v. 9).

I was reminded of this word of Jesus:

"If anyone would come after me,

let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me"

(Mk. 8:34; see also Mt. 16:24; Lk. 9:23).

As disciples of Jesus,

we are called to follow Him according to this word of Jesus

by denying ourselves and taking up our cross in our daily lives (Lk. 9:23).

Here, denying ourselves means rejecting what we desire,

even if it means "this cup" or "this thing" (in Paul's case, "my thorn in the flesh")

being taken away from me.

And taking up our own cross means carrying our own cross

[in the case of Jesus, "this cup"; in the case of Paul, "this thing," his "thorn in the flesh"]

according to the will of the Lord, humbly and joyfully

obeying His will even to the point of death (Phil. 2:8).