“My Father,” Jesus said, “if you are willing, let me escape this suffering. Nevertheless, I want your will, not mine.” — Luke 22:42
Amazingly, I have the power to say no to my Creator. Since God gave me free will, I could be like a strong-willed, obstinate child, crying for my way and throwing a tantrum when I didn’t get it. Or stated from a more-adult perspective, I could spend all my prayer time “believing” he must give me what I claim to need. Is that really what I should do?
God knows my needs better than I do.
Jesus said I won’t be heard for my continual asking, because my Father knows what I need (Matthew 6:7-8). I think there’s nothing wrong with my asking, since he already knows what I want. But after that, it’s time to adopt the attitude that Jesus had when he prayed in the Garden of Gethsemane.
Submitting to God’s will isn’t always easy.
Jesus said, “The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak” (Matthew 26:41). Assuming my spirit is willing, I still have the flesh that doesn’t want to die, doesn’t want to give up its way.
I don’t enjoy the pain of what I go through sometimes, but I can endure with his strength. Because of trying times, I’ll be stronger and a better witness. And the future will be better when I have what God wants. That’s why I repeatedly tell the Lord, “Please don’t give me what I want if it’s not what you want.”