Grateful Surrender
Fast
Fast from caffeine today — drinking only water, and use the space it creates to journal your gratitude to God.
Matthew 6:10
“Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.”
One of the most difficult prayers to pray is, “Father, Your will be done.” If we’re honest, what we often mean is, “Father, Your will be done — but let it look like mine.” We bring our deepest desires to God, knowing He is the only One who can provide the blessing, protect us from the danger, heal the wound, or make the pain stop. In fact, God tells us in Hebrews 4:16 to come boldly before His throne to receive the mercy and find the grace we need. Yet fear is often entangled with our faith as we come, longing so deeply for what has brought us to the throne, but afraid we won’t receive it, or fearful of what we might receive instead.
The enemy, too, wages war against God’s will being accomplished. As we read yesterday, Jesus first told us in Matthew 6:10 to pray for God’s Kingdom to come. Praying for His will to be done is the natural outflow of this. Where the King reigns, His will is carried out. So, asking for His will to be done is a battle cry, and as those who belong to the King, we feel this fight.
Jesus experienced this intimately. In Matthew 26:36-45, He stood at the threshold of the cross, with all of the pain and suffering it would bring, and asked that it might not happen. In honesty, He poured out His sorrow and distress to the One who loved Him most and could make it go away. And then He laid it down, so that the Kingdom would come.
Praying for God’s will to be done is spiritual warfare, an act of surrender, and a declaration of trust. It is releasing what we hold most dear to the One who loves us most and knows our needs before we even ask (Matthew 6:8).
Co-laborers in the Kingdom,
Jill Reed
Director of Women’s Ministry
Houston’s First Baptist Church - Sienna
Prayer Guide
- Honestly tell God your desires, requests, and concerns, knowing He invites you to His throne. (Hebrews 4:16)
- Lay down your will — past, present, and future — so that His will would be done in every part of your life. (Matthew 6:10)
- Thank God for His love and faithfulness, and ask that He would be glorified in each area you surrendered. (Psalm 50:23)
Action Step
Write a note of encouragement to someone you know who is going through a difficult time, assuring them of God’s love, and letting them know you are praying for them.
Prayer Practice
Find a quiet and secluded place where you can slow down and be still. Then pray following the Listening Prayer model.
