Not My Will

 If you are like me you probably pray for things that aren’t what you really need. They are just what you really want. There is a huge difference between “need” and “want”. Sadly, I have spent a lot of time in my life learning that difference.

How many times have I prayed for God to give me something, or make a certain thing happen a certain way. When I didn’t get the answer to my prayer that I wanted, I just made it happen myself. Big mistake.

When I answer my own prayer I generally find out why God didn’t answer it like I wanted Him to. Then I get to spend time apologizing to God and praying for Him to fix it. I am slowly learning that is backwards, and the long way around to get to God’s will.

Have you ever heard the expression “measure twice, cut once”? That refers to making sure you are doing things the correct way so you don’t have to back up and do it again.

Unfortunately, in my life, reverse seems to be the gear I use the most. Hmmmmm. I wonder why.

The things I do in my life seem like such good ideas at the time. In the end, I always realize the only really good ideas I have are the ones I get from God.

Isaiah 55:9 says,
“For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than your ways, And My thoughts than your thoughts.

As children we are taught to listen to our elders. That is because they have been around longer, and know a lot more. So why don’t we apply that to our relationship with God? After all, He has been around a little bit longer than we have, and I think He knows a little bit more. The Bible tells us that all wisdom comes from God.

I can be a slow learner when it comes to running my life. I am gradually learning more and more that the best way I can pray to God is to admit that He knows my situation and need better than I do. I have to just give it to Him and ask for His will, not mine. God included that in the example He gave to us about how to pray. That is the Lord’s Prayer. Although I am not a proponent of repeating written prayers because I believe our prayers should come directly from our own heart to His, but I do recommend the Lord’s Prayer. After all, it was given to us directly from Him, but I believe that although it is a good place for our day and our prayers to start, it should not end there.

When Jesus was praying in the Garden of Gethsemane, He told God “Not My will, but Thine be done.” If Jesus needed to submit Himself to God’s will, how much more do we need to do that.

I am going to start making it a practice to end my prayers not only saying “in Jesus’ name,” but also saying “not my will but Thine be done”.

Once again I am including the link to a song. It is an old song, but many of the old songs are very deep and beautiful. This is one of them.

The name of the song is Not My Will. Please listen to it, enjoy it, and think about it.

https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0/#inbox/FMfcgzGxTNsfJNnZdHKmjTdnZHGKwjfp?projector=1

If you enjoyed this, please feel free to leave a comment. They are greatly appreciated. Also, please pass this on to your friends. Thank you.

Janice