Monday, February 23, 2009

The most difficult prayer

I think the reason we pray more and listen less is because we are not ready to give up our control. I tend to tell God what to do, which is kind of foolish if we think about it. I desperately want all the circumstances in my control and I desire to have things going the way I want.

To me, the most difficult prayer is - "Your will be done". It's scary. I feel like losing all my control, giving up my agendas (which I am not used to)...

Could we pray like this?

When we lose our job
- "Your will be done"

When we face foreclosure
- "Your will be done"

When our children make foolish decisions
- "Your will be done"

When we find out we have cancer
- "Your will be done"

When we lose our loved ones
- "Your will be done"

When your spouse leaves you for another man/woman
- "Your will be done"

When our comfort zones are challenged
- "Your will be done"

When a hurricane hits our area
- "Your will be done"

When our loved ones reject Jesus
- "Your will be done"

If we can't pray this prayer, how can we:

Give thanks in ALL circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus? - (1 Thessalonians 5:18)

14 comments:

Joe said...

Bino,

Thanks for this post. Found your blog via The Old Adam. I've subscribed.

Lots of great posts to review. Glad I found you!

God bless!

Joe.

Bino M. said...

Thanks Joe for stopping by! It's always great to meet other believers!

I just visited mayheincrease.com, have to explore!

Anonymous said...

We usually pray, "My will be done."

I think that's why the Lord taught us to pray His prayer.

Thy will be done, is actually praying against ourselves!

Great post, Bino!

- Steve

Joel Brueseke said...

I can relate to this! I've kind of gone through various phases of this regarding my job.

At times I've been ok with everything, and I've said, "Your will be done." At other times I've grown somewhat discontent, and I've prayed for a change of jobs, a door to open, so to speak. Then I'll come back around, after 'fighting' with God about it (praying earnestly for a change), realizing that He's got me there for a reason (it's His will). Overall, I've always known, through His confirmations to me, that it's truly Him who has put me in this place, and so I am confident and content.

But then the daily routine starts to bore me, or for some reason I start questioning why I'm doing this job, and my thinking gets off track again.

Really, I simply want my prayer to be "Your will be done," as you're saying here. He's got me in His very capable hands, and so there's no reason for me to try to convince Him to change things for me. It's all about His life in me and His plans for His kingdom, and I simply want to be who I am, wherever that may be and whatever it may look like. :)

Unknown said...

Great post...

These are amazing, but harder said than done... Losing control hurts, and is scary in so many ways, but I know it's worth giving Father the control...

There are many factors in my life that I know I cannot control no matter how much I want to, and it has been a hard, but on-going working progress to relinquish control over to Papa, but well worth it!

Bino M. said...

Steve - I know. I always want my will be done. Honestly, before I go to God in prayer, I have an agenda. I know what I need, and I simply 'use' God to accomplish it:) It's kind of funny and ridiculous. The thing is, we think we are smarter than God...

Bino M. said...

Joel - He's got me in His very capable hands, and so there's no reason for me to try to convince Him to change things for me.

Amen! Isn't the attitude of "Your will be done" nothing but the essence of Sabbath rest? We are surrendering totally into His will and resting from our struggles to make things happen. Oh boy! Surrendering TOTALLY to His will is the most difficult thing in the world. The question is, Does God know what is best for us or do we need to tell Him what we think is best for us?

Thanks Joel!

Bino M. said...

Nicole - Yes, it's harder... I think as we grow in our understanding of His love more and more, we will feel more safer to abandon us to His will. Love makes us comfortable to trust. I think the reason we don't trust is because We don't know His love (in every detail of our life) in the first place. Thanks for sharing!

Anonymous said...

Bino,

I hope you don't mind, but I'd like to put a link to your site on my blog.

If for some reason you are not ok with that let me know and I'll take it down.

Thanks Bino!

- Steve Martin (the old Adam)

Bino M. said...

Steve - Feel free to link! I have no secrets here, so the more people see it, the better! :)

Timm said...

Excellent thoughts Bino. I can relate as it's all too often hard for me to put my pride aside and let God handle things. I'm ashamed of my lack of faith and this gives one a lot to think about.

introvertgirl said...

ah, this is a hard one! Giving up the illusion of control and the need for it in many areas. I think this gets better as we grow in heart knowledge of how much Father loves us. Such trust in him does not come naturally to some of us. It just has to grow, slowly but surely, over time as we have experience with him.

Ike said...

I hear what you are saying Bino...but God's "will" will be done anyways so we might as well get on the winning side!

My wife's surgeries and chemo, (except oral chemo), is over but her ONKA number was high and it's almost like I am just waiting for something to happen!?? Is it God's will for her to live?? I don't know.....it is certainly "my" will.

Bino M. said...

Timm - Thank you for coming by and sharing your thoughts!

Amy - Yes, it's hard! No kidding! 'Growing' is a never ending process and I think I am only in the beginning :)

Ike - Surely we get on the winning side, no matter what. As His children, we are in the safest hands! Thank you for sharing your wife's situation. I pray for you both!