Whose Will Be Done?
Your Will be Done… Matthew 6:10
We live quite far from most of our grandchildren, so our visits with them are extended ones with sleepovers, lots of treats and movie watching. My husband and I recently visited our son and daughter-in-law, four-year-old grandson Jensen and two-month-old granddaughter Indie in Australia. Two weeks of play was like being in a Disney movie, especially with our grandson.
Jensen is highly creative like his dad and has a vivid imagination. He plays by himself for extended periods of time in his own little make-believe world, complete with sound effects and dialogue. My daughter-in-law fittingly calls him the producer. He cleverly makes up his own stories and directs each scene with precise detail. Try to change his perceived story line and you will be met with, “No, it’s supposed to be like this…” or “You’re supposed to say…and then I say…and then you say…” He is the writer and producer of his own fantasy. If you want to be in his story, you better play by his script and how he directs or you’re cut from his scene.
And then there’s our cute little independent three-year-old Maya in California. “I got it, I got it, I got it,” she insists. Don’t try to help her with anything. She will do it herself, right or wrong, neat or messy. It’s her way or no way.
It can be quite adorable in a three or four-year-old, but I feel like we do the same with God sometimes – in a not-so-cute way. We perceive how the story of our lives is supposed to go, and when God intervenes with His infinite wisdom and perfect plans, we dispute back with, “I got it, I got it, I got it, God.” Or, “No, it’s supposed to be like this, God.” “You were supposed to do it this way, God.” Well, we may not actually voice those words, but our attitude does. Our need to control does. Our obedience and willingness (or lack of) to submit to His plans and purposes does.
No wonder Jesus taught us to pray in the Lord’s Prayer, “Your will be done…” He must have known we’d need to repeat those words often.
When we pray, do we truly ask for God’s will? Or do we hand Him a list of our will to be done? Could our often faulty submission to God’s will stem from a weak faith and lack of trust? (Ouch.)
But why wouldn’t we want God’s will over our own? He directs our paths into His plans that are for our good. He has provided abundant life. He gives out of His glorious riches in Christ Jesus. He lavishes His love on us. He knows all, sees all, has perfect wisdom to work everything out for our good – when we are submitted to His will.
One day, when Maya’s older sister Ava was seven, she protested, “Mommy always gets what she wants,” meaning she always has to do what Mommy says. She didn’t understand what Mommy wants is what’s best for her and that it is out of love. But we don’t always understand that as adults either.
God is ultimately going to get what He wants too, but for His good purposes and for His glory. He is the writer of the script of our lives. It is useless for us to fight against God’s will (Acts 26:14 NLT). We can try to resist it, but it just complicates matters. As I’ve explained to my grand kids, arguing or disobeying just takes the inevitable longer and risks discipline.
Yes, sometimes He allows some pretty tough stuff. But it’s when we are weak we realize His power. When we are hurting, God becomes our comforter. When we are in need, God proves to be our provider. When we experience sickness or hardship, we find God to be our strength. If we are betrayed, God will be our defender. If we are treated unfairly, God will vindicate us. Even if we are persecuted or rejected, we are accepted and loved by Him.
The thing is, God’s got this. He could say to us, “I’ve got it, I’ve got it, I’ve got it.”
Jesus exemplified letting His own will die by praying for God’s good will to be done on the Cross. (Talk about some pretty tough stuff.) But Jesus trusted the Father for the ultimate outcome, no matter how tough the going was. Aren’t you glad He did?
Dealing with an independent, strong-willed child is never easy, but I wouldn’t want God’s job of dealing with us controlling adults. Let’s be strong willed, but be strong willed in our conviction to submit to God’s will no matter what the cost, even if we have to die to our own will (Luke 9:23-24)
You can have confidence that your Heavenly Daddy is for you and will do what’s best for you as you trust Him. And as you submit to His will, He supplies everything you need to fulfill His will.
And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:19 ESV
When have you resisted God’s will?
Are there any specific areas of your life presently that you need to submit to God’s will?
What circumstances might you have tried to control to make them work out the way you wanted in spite of how God was directing?
Thank you for stopping by! I would love to hear from you. Join the conversation in the comments or message me through my website here.
The fourth chapter of the book, Pursuing Prayer – Being Effective in a Busy World, or the Y of the prayer acrostic in the book, discusses the “Your will be done” portion of the Lord’s Prayer. It addresses how to know God’s will, both generally and specifically for your life, what His kingdom looks like in our lives, as well as God’s purpose and plan for our lives. Pursuing Prayer releases November 18, 2019, and would make a great devotional or Bible study. The book can be preordered here.
In addition, subscribe to my blog and you will receive my FREE pdf, “Ten Prayer Tips for Busy Days” here.