Heart of Worship: 30 Days to Deeper PraiseSample

Hey there, it’s Lizzie Morgan, and I’m so excited to bring you today’s Scripture from Luke 22:41– 44 (MSG):

“He pulled away from them about a stone’s throw, knelt down, and prayed, ‘Father, remove this cup from me. But please, not what I want. What do you want?’ At once an angel from heaven was at his side, strengthening him. He prayed all the harder. Sweat, wrung from him like drops of blood, poured off his face.”

I love this verse because it gives us such a raw, honest glimpse into the heart of Jesus. This moment in the garden shows us the weight He carried; the tension between His humanity and His purpose. It’s comforting to know that even Jesus wrestled with the will of the Father. He didn’t hide His wrestling. He brought His full heart, full emotions, and full honesty to God in prayer.

He asked, “Father, if there’s any way, let this cup pass from me…”. In other words: “If there’s any other way, can we take it?” And yet He ends with: “Not my will, but Yours be done.” That’s the part that moves me deeply. It’s one thing to talk about surrender when everything feels easy, but this was the hardest “yes” in history, and Jesus still gave it.

It makes me think about our own journey of surrender. The first “yes” to salvation can feel big, but it’s the daily “yes” to God’s will that can be even more challenging. It’s the “yes” that asks us to lay down our own timeline, our own plans, and our own preferences. Sometimes it means saying “no” to what looks good at the moment and “yes” to something that doesn’t make sense yet. But just like with Jesus, when we say yes to God, strength follows. The angel came and strengthened Him, not before the prayer, but after the surrender. That’s how God works. He meets us after our “yes”.

This moment in the garden is worship. Worship isn’t just a song we sing on a Sunday. It’s the posture of our heart that says, “Not my will, but Yours.” When we lift our hands, when we sing out truth even while we’re hurting, when we choose obedience over comfort - that is worship. And sometimes the most powerful worship happens when no one else sees it - when it’s just you and God in the quiet place - just like Jesus in the garden.

You don’t have to be perfect to surrender. You just have to be willing. God can handle your hesitation, your fear, even your doubt. What matters is that, in the end, you still say yes.