Thy Will

Good Morning,

Luke 22:42 “Saying, Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done.”

In the garden, Jesus prayed, “not my will.”  A familiar statement – one we all would consider amazing.  Yet, this same statement should be a part of each one of our lives as well.

As I was praying one morning, and I brought a matter to the Lord and simply said, “I don’t know what you want.”  It seemed as if the Lord responded by asking, “What would you like?”  I thought, “I don’t have any idea.  I don’t want my will; I’ll just mess things up.”  I really want the will of God.  He knows tomorrow and the next year, what good would my thinking be?  

In mercy and kindness, God offers His ear, inviting us to pray and bring our requests to Him, but honestly, He knows best, even in difficult situations.  While our generation spews out accusations and fights for their civil rights (or whatever rights), Christ committed Himself to His Father and prayed for forgiveness for those who hurt Him.  

1 Peter 2:23 “Who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously:”

Thy will – what a statement!  Paul was willing to use that statement regarding his travels; he wished to visit the folks in Corinth but surrendered the situation to the Lord.

1 Corinthians 4:19 “But I will come to you shortly, if the Lord will…"

I could not be sure of the events in twenty minutes, let alone the events that will take place twenty years from now.  How frail would be my plans or goals without an eternal hand guiding me? To surrender and to seek God and His will over our own is only logical; it is reasonable and, in fact, the only sensible direction to look.  

Regarding future plans, Paul left it to the will of God:

Acts 18:21 “But bade them farewell, saying, I must by all means keep this feast that cometh in Jerusalem: but I will return again unto you, if God will. And he sailed from Ephesus.”

James echos this sentiment when he condemns boastful statements about tomorrow:

James 4:15 “For that ye ought to say, If the Lord will, we shall live, and do this, or that.”

Concerning the future service of God and growth in our Christian lives, we read more exhortation to rest in the plans and purposes of God:

Hebrews 6:3 “And this will we do, if God permit."


I fear that many Christians are only concerned with the will of God when it lines up with their own will – this ideology does not align with the Scriptures. The Bible says, “…thy will be done..." Surrendering and trusting in the loving Father is always the best path.  

The story is told of Missionary Hudson Taylor, who knelt at the grave of his daughter and said, "God reserves His best for those who leave the choice to Him."  Later, the same words were spoken at the grave of his other daughter, and finally also at the grave of his wife.  Hudson Taylor displayed rare Christianity, faith, and love.  

Pastor