Read: Matthew 26:36–46 | Bible in a Year: 1 Samuel 22–24; Luke 12:1–31
God has said, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.” Hebrews 13:5
Does having a friend nearby make pain more bearable? Researchers
at the University of Virginia conducted a fascinating study to answer
that question. They wanted to see how the brain reacted to the prospect
of pain, and whether it behaved differently if a person faced the threat
of pain alone, holding a stranger’s hand, or holding the hand of a
close friend.
Researchers ran the test on dozens of pairs, and found consistent
results. When a person was alone or holding a stranger's hand while
anticipating a shock, the regions of the brain that process danger lit
up. But when holding the hand of a trusted person, the brain relaxed.
The comfort of a friend’s presence made the pain seem more bearable.
Jesus needed comfort as He prayed in the
Garden of Gethsemane. He knew what He was about to face: betrayal,
arrest, and death. He asked His closest friends to stay and pray with
Him, telling them that His soul was “overwhelmed with sorrow” (Matt.
26:38). But Peter, James, and John kept falling asleep.
Jesus faced the agony of the garden without the comfort of a hand to
hold. But because He bore that pain, we can be confident that God will
never leave or forsake us (Heb. 13:5). Jesus suffered so that we will
never have to experience separation from the love of God (Rom. 8:39).
His companionship makes anything we endure more bearable.
Jesus, thank You for bearing the pain and isolation of the Garden of Gethsemane and the cross for us. Thank You for giving us a way to live in communion with the Father.
Because of God’s love, we are never truly alone.
© 2017 Our Daily Bread Ministries
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