Trusting God in the Garden

Have you ever cried out to God, and the only thing that echoed back was silence?

Not rejection. Not rebuke. Just… nothing.

It’s a space many of us find ourselves in — the waiting room of Heaven. We ask for direction, we plead for healing, we beg for breakthrough. And sometimes, the skies stay quiet.

But here’s the truth I’ve come to learn: God’s silence is not His absence. His stillness does not equal abandonment. One of the most powerful examples of that is found in a garden — under the stars — just before Jesus faced the cross.

Let’s walk through a holy moment in Matthew 26:36–46 and learn what Jesus teaches us about silence, surrender, and strength.

1. Jesus Was Overwhelmed and Honest

“Then Jesus went with them to a place called Gethsemane, and he said to his disciples, ‘Sit here while I go over there and pray.’” (Matthew 26:36)

Jesus, the Son of God, entered a season of sorrow — not with crowds, not with miracles, but with a broken heart and a need to be alone with the Father.

“My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death.” (v.38)

Sometimes, we think that being strong in our faith means pretending we’re not hurting. But Jesus shows us it’s okay to feel deeply, cry honestly, and still be obedient. He didn’t hide His sorrow. He brought it to the Father.

In that moment, Jesus prayed — “If it is possible, let this cup pass from me.” But Heaven was silent.

Still, He surrendered: “Yet not as I will, but as You will.”

➤ When God is silent, it’s not because He’s gone. It may be because He’s inviting us deeper into surrender.

2. People Slept, But God Still Saw

Three times, Jesus returned to His disciples, only to find them asleep. The very people He asked to stand with Him couldn’t stay awake during His greatest hour of need.

“Couldn’t you men keep watch with me for one hour” (v.40)

If you’ve ever felt let down or unsupported by people, Jesus understands. His trusted circle fell short — but His purpose didn’t. He didn’t base His obedience on their availability.

➤ Even when others fall asleep on your calling, God is still watching over it.

3. Repeating the Same Prayer Isn’t Weakness

Jesus prayed the same thing three times. No new words. No different request. He repeated it — and still, no audible response.

“So he left them and went away once more and prayed the third time, saying the same thing.” (v.44)

How many times have we felt like broken records before God? Like our prayers are lost in the wind? But Jesus repeated Himself — and in that repetition, something shifted.

He may not have gotten the “yes” He asked for, but He received something even greater: strength to walk forward in purpose.

4. Silent Strength Produces Obedient Action

“Look, the hour has come… Rise, let us go!” (v.45–46)

He didn’t get a lightning bolt. He didn’t get an army of angels. He got resolve. Power. Peace. And He moved forward.

There’s a kind of strength that is born not from answered prayers, but from surrendered hearts.

➤ God may be quiet, but He is fortifying your faith in the stillness.

You may be in a Gethsemane season right now — crying out, feeling unheard, repeating the same prayer, wondering why God hasn’t responded.

Let this moment remind you that even Jesus experienced silence. And still — He trusted. He surrendered. He fulfilled purpose.

God’s silence is not a stop sign. It’s a signal to keep walking, keep trusting, and keep surrendering.

There’s purpose in the silence.

There’s strength in the stillness.

And when you come out of the garden, you’ll be ready to face what’s ahead — not because everything changed around you, but because God changed something within you.

Love, Queen Dee