Not As I Will

 We all have a strong desire to get our own way. We want to be happy, and we think that if we always get to do things the way we want to do them, all will go well with us. There is one huge problem with this line of thinking. We do not really know what is best or what is best for us. Often, when we do get to do things our way, they do not go well. It doesn't really bring happiness or satisfaction like we thought it would. Then, we have to go a different way, and that way might not be any better. Jesus Himself knew this truth. He was fully submitted to do the will of His Father. In the Garden of Gethsemane He was facing a terrible death of scourging and being nailed to a cross. He knew what was going to happen. (Matthew 26:39) Therefore, Jesus went off by Himself in the garden and fell on His face and prayed. He asked His Father to let this cup, this death, pass from Him, if that was possible. However, then, He said, "Yet not as I will but as You will." That prayer tells us about our Lord and Savior, and it shows us what our attitude should be all of the time.

We should be fully surrendered to the Father, as Jesus was while He was on Earth. We should know that our Father loves us, and He has our best interests at heart. He has a wonderful plan for our life that we should know Jesus and have an abundant life in Him. When we realize this about God, we should know we can go to Him and present what is on our heart, like Jesus did in the garden. He cares what we are feeling and thinking. However, we should never believe that our way is best. Every prayer we pray should be for His will to be done, not our will. When we take our burdens to Him, He will give us the power to carry them, especially when they are so heavy they would crush us. Remember, whatever God's plan calls for us to do, He will supply the grace for us to do it well. The key is that we must be fully submitted to Him, saying "Not as I will, but as You will."

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Tomorrow, I intend to read Matthew 27-28 and Mark 1.