Not My Will, but Yours Be Done

Why do we feel disillusioned and discouraged when God does not respond to our prayers in the way (and timing) we would like him to? Perhaps it is because we do not understand, that in order to receive an affirmative response to our requests, we must be praying according to God’s will. If Jesus’ prayer to the Father was not answered in an affirmative way, why would we ever think our prayers should be answered in the way we want them to be?

Jesus, being God, knew that great suffering awaited him, and in his humanity, he dreaded it. In Luke 22:44 we read, “And being in agony he prayed more earnestly; and his sweat became like great drops of blood falling down to the ground.” This took place after an angel came to strengthen Him upon his prayer to the Father, “Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me. Nevertheless, not my will, but yours, be done,” (Luke 42:22). The Father’s answer to this request from His Son was clearly NO. In Isaiah 53:9-10 we read, “..although he had done no violence, and there was no deceit in his mouth. Yet it was the will of the LORD to crush him.”

Being fully human we do not know what lies ahead for us; however, we do know that as God’s people, we will be required to suffer, “The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him” (Romans 8:16-17). We must face our suffering (whether it be persecution, sickness or trial) as Jesus did. Even when situations become extremely difficult, we must pray as our Lord did. In our weakness, we will naturally desire an end to each difficulty and will want everything made right-- but if we truly desire God’s will to be done, we will pray to our Heavenly Father, “not my will, but yours, be done” (Luke 22:42). God…and ONLY God…knows what is best in each of our circumstances. We must believe and hold to this, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life, (John 3:16).

The Father sent the Son to be the Savior of the world and yet, “He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief; and as one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not. Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted,” (Isaiah 53:3-4). As followers of Christ, we must understand that Jesus has suffered all for us, “For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin” (Hebrews 4:15). When in distress and sorrow, we can go to him and cast all our cares upon Him. 1 Peter 5:7 reads, “casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.”

It is proper to pray in times of trial and even to ask that God would relieve our suffering and put to right things that are wrong, but we must never presume upon God to answer our prayers in the affirmative, for this may not be His will. It is also appropriate to persevere in prayer until we are given an answer one way or the other being mindful of the parable in Luke 18, “And he told them a parable to the effect that they ought always to pray and not lose heart” (Luke 18:1). If we do not have the following words of Jesus imprinted upon our memory, we should do so, “Pray then like this, “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our debts, as we also forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil” (Matthew 6:9-10). Yes, indeed, Heavenly Father, “Not my will, but yours be done.”