Volume 1 · Week 6 — Learning to Pray
Day 40 — “Thy Will Be Done”
Main verse
“Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.”
— Matthew 6:10 (KJV)
Meditation
We often come to God with a clear idea of the answer we want. We present our project, our need, or our suffering, then hope he will act according to the outcome we have imagined.
Yet Jesus teaches us to pray, “Thy will be done.” These words express neither resignation nor fatalism. They express the trust of someone convinced that God’s wisdom and love go beyond our own understanding.
In Gethsemane, Jesus hides neither his fear nor his desire to escape suffering. He asks for the cup to be removed, then adds, “Nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done.” His surrender is sincere because his request was sincere as well.
We can therefore freely present our desires to God. Faith does not require us to deny what we want. Yet it invites us to open our hands and allow God to answer differently.
This prayer is sometimes difficult. We fear that God’s will may deprive us of what we cherish. But God’s will does not arise from indifference. It comes from the One who knows us completely and sees what we cannot yet discern.
To pray in this way is to say, “Lord, this is what I desire. But more than anything, I desire to walk with you.”
Psalm
Psalm 143:10 (KJV)
10 Teach me to do thy will; for thou art my God: thy spirit is good; lead me into the land of uprightness.
Further Bible reading
Matthew 6:9–13; Luke 22:39–46
Suggested hymn
The Church Hymnal (1941), no. 273 — “Take My Life, and Let It Be”
Prayer
Father, you know my desires and my worries. I bring them to you with trust. Give me courage to add sincerely, “Thy will be done.” When your answer differs from my expectations, help me believe in your wisdom and remain faithfully at your side. Amen.
A thought to keep
Entrusting my will to God means choosing his wisdom over my need to control everything.
Personal Notes
What would you like to remember, pray about, or put into practice today?