“Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation; the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.” — Matthew 26:41
Do you recognize this scripture passage? These are the words Christ addressed to the disciples, who were told to ‘stay awake and alert’ while He prayed his final prayers before death. He knows how pathetic and weak we are during our daily challenges and temptations. Christ understands that, though we try our best, we often end up caving in to our desires. He knows us much better than we know ourselves.
Jesus does not shame His disciples for sleeping. He understands the human condition (as He should since He created us 🙂). Our fatigue, our distractions, our temptations, all of it is known to Him. He offers compassion before correction. Just as we parents try moderating our poorly behaved children, we pause first, breathe, see our children’s humanity, and then address the issue. This is a wake-up call for you to seek strength in God, recognizing your own weakness as a human being.
Whether we say “yes” to God, parenthood, or marriage, it is not a promise to be taken lightly. All covenants — faith, family, and marriage — demand perseverance, discipline, and commitment to the end. I know from both personal experience as a wife and mother and my experience as a Christian marriage therapist, that sentiment or emotion cannot sustain us; only a will formed through prayer and sacrifice can. Christ’s words remind us that commitment requires preparation of both the spirit (our will) and the flesh (our desires stemming from the body).
“Watch and pray” is not a casual suggestion.
Prayer is crucial for the reasons I mentioned earlier. We cannot rely solely on our own strength; we need to pray for grace. Also, something I haven’t spoken about much because I am often afraid of seeming ‘too much’—but I have to tell you—spiritual discipline is essential. I used to think warnings of ‘evil lurks all around’ were just something priests talked about to scare me, but you must understand it is an objective reality! Anyone with a pulse and an awareness of the news can see it. From fires, floods, wars, wokeism, access to MAiDs, marijuana, the decline of educational systems, to the rise of diseases—these are not ideal times. The ‘good old days’ are quickly fading into a distant memory.
Christ warns that temptation will come, and suffering will follow for those who drift into complacency. Vigilance is not fear-driven but love-driven: to remain awake is to stay faithful. I know many Christians who are fearful and anxious, and that is the last thing God wants for you. You wants you to trust in His ways, have faith, and pray every day. That’s it.
Evil will find its way into every life.
We are not promised comfort; we are promised grace. The key to a happy marriage is filling your cup ¾ full with selflessness, and the rest with gratitude. Marriage counselling rooted in faith often reveals that marriage is purified through struggles. It reminds you what your spouse looks like on their best day when you see them at their worst. When we refuse to watch and pray, we fall prey to self-deception and disorder in our faith, our relationships, and our moral choices. However, when we stay awake, we suffer differently. We suffer with Christ, not apart from Him.
Even in our failure, hope remains. Hope is what wakes us when the flesh has fallen asleep. It reminds us that God does not give up on those who struggle; He wakes them again and again until they rise.