Look closely at how our Savior prayed in his darkest hour. There are lessons here for your soul.

First, it was solitary prayer. He pulled away even from his three closest disciples. Listen, believer: you need to be alone with God, especially when trials press hard. Family prayer is precious. Church prayer is powerful. But the best beaten spice will smoke in your censer in that secret place, where no ear hears but God's.

It was humble prayer. Luke tells us Jesus knelt. But Matthew says he fell on his face. Face in the dirt. If the Master prayed like that, where should you be, servant? What dust and ashes should cover your head! Humility gives us solid ground to stand on in prayer. You have no hope of moving God's heart unless you humble yourself so he can lift you up in his perfect time.

It was a child's prayer. "Abba, Father." When trials come crashing down, this is your fortress: you are God's adopted child. As a subject of the King, you have no rights. You forfeited those by your rebellion. But nothing, absolutely nothing, can cancel a child's claim on a father's protection. Don't you dare be afraid to cry out, "My Father, hear me!"

Notice too that it was persistent prayer. Jesus prayed the same request three times. Don't stop until you break through! Be like that stubborn widow who kept pounding on the judge's door until her persistence won what her first plea could not. Keep praying. Keep watching. Keep thanking.

And finally, it was surrendered prayer. "Nevertheless, not what I want, but what you want." When you yield, God yields. When you say, "Let it be as God wills," God determines what is best. Leave your prayer in the hands of the One who knows when to give, how to give, what to give, and what to hold back.

Pray like this—urgently, persistently, humbly, as a child, with complete surrender—and you will surely prevail.