Volume 20: Thy Will, Not Mine

Day 124 Devotional

THY WILL, NOT MINE

Recently, I was talking with a friend I have known for more than twenty years about prayer. As we discussed praying God’s will instead of our own, I was surprised to learn he had never been taught that prayer is not about asking God for whatever we want.

That conversation reminded me why this subject repeatedly matters. Scripture teaches that some prayers please God and some do not. When God told Solomon to ask for whatever he desired, Solomon did not ask for money, power, or personal success, because he knew prayer was about surrender. He asked for wisdom to judge God’s people. The Lord was so pleased with his request that He gave him both wisdom and wealth.

Throughout Scripture, people often tried to get God to endorse their plans rather than submit to His. Balaam pursued what God had forbidden, Israel demanded a king, and James and John sought positions of honor. Prayer was never designed to get God to endorse our plans, but to align our hearts with His will. If you are never taught how to pray and never study God’s word, you will never get results from God, because He will never bow to your will. So, once again, let’s really consider what prayer is all about.

What Did Jesus Say?

This question has always fascinated me: Why did the disciples ask Jesus, “Lord, teach us to pray” (Luke 11:1)?

Think about it.

These were Jewish men who had heard prayers their entire lives. They attended synagogue. They listened to rabbis. They were familiar with religious language and traditions.

Yet they still asked Jesus to teach them how to pray.

Why?

The answer is found in what they had just witnessed.

Shortly before this, Jesus had sent out seventy-two disciples to minister throughout the region. They preached the Kingdom of God. They healed the sick. Demons were cast out. Lives were transformed. Entire communities were impacted by the power of God.

When the disciples returned, they were rejoicing over what they had experienced.

The disciples appear to have noticed something.

There was a connection between Jesus’ prayer life and the results flowing from His ministry.

They were not asking how to sound spiritual. They were asking how to become effective.

Why Didn’t Jesus Just Say, “Pray From Your Heart”?

This raises another important question.

If prayer were simply talking from your heart, why didn’t Jesus say that?

Why didn’t the greatest Teacher who ever lived respond, “Just say whatever you feel”?

Instead, Jesus immediately gave them a pattern.

“Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done…” (Luke 11:2).

That response is significant.

Jesus understood that prayer is much deeper than emotional expression.

Prayer is alignment.
Prayer is bringing our hearts into agreement with Heaven.
Prayer is not simply telling God what we want.
Prayer is learning to desire what God wants.

The Problem With Self-Willed Prayer

One of the greatest battles in prayer is not getting God to hear us. It is getting us to surrender.

Many people pray passionately, consistently, and sincerely, but never stop long enough to ask a simple question: “Is this what God wants?”

Satan’s fall began with self-will. He wanted what he wanted. He desired his own throne, his own glory, and his own way.

His problem was not a lack of desire. His problem was a desire that opposed God’s will. Sadly, many people approach prayer the same way.

They pray for their plans. Their ambitions. Their comfort. Their success. Their preferences. Yet rarely stop to ask whether their desires align with God’s purposes.

Prayer was never intended to be a tool for convincing God to bless our will. Prayer exists to bring our will into submission to His.

The Bible Is God’s Written Will

This creates a serious problem. You cannot consistently pray God’s will if you do not know God’s Word.

The Bible is the written will of God. Every page reveals His heart. Every command reveals His priorities. Every promise reveals His character.

Many believers spend hours telling God what they want while spending very little time discovering what He wants.

Then they wonder why their prayers feel disconnected from Heaven.

The more you study Scripture, the less self-centered your prayers become.

You stop asking God to bless your rebellion. You stop asking Him to fund your flesh. And you stop asking Him to endorse desires that contradict His Word.

Instead, your prayers begin to reflect His heart.

The Ultimate Model of Prayer

The greatest example of prayer is found in Gethsemane.

Jesus was facing betrayal, mockery, torture, and crucifixion. Everything within His humanity understood the suffering ahead. Yet His prayer was not centered on self-preservation. It was centered on surrender.

“Nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done” (Luke 22:42).

That is mature prayer. Not getting everything you want.
Not trying to manipulate circumstances or convince God to adopt your plans.

Mature prayer is wanting what God wants. Even when it costs you something.

Thy Will, Not Mine

The disciples understood something many believers still miss today.

Powerful prayer is not merely speaking sincerely. It is praying according to the will of God.

That is why Jesus did not begin with “my kingdom come.”

He began with the words, “Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done.” The closer you get to God’s Word, the more your prayers begin to sound like Heaven.

And when your prayers begin to sound like Heaven, your life begins to align with Heaven as well.