Within His Will
Recently, we were challenged as a congregation to make a better effort to pray throughout the rest of this year. Not simply to pray when something goes wrong or when we need God to fix a situation, but to become a people who are more consistently and intentionally devoted to prayer and to recognizing when God answers that prayer.
There are so many reasons why prayer matters. We pray for healing, wisdom, our families, our church; we pray when we are afraid, confused, thankful, or hopeful. But one of my personal favorite reasons to pray is simple: prayer gives me the blessing of knowing that I am within the will of God, no matter which direction things go in my life.
As Paul Herrington mentioned in his lesson last Sunday, there are levels to maturity and understanding when it comes to prayer. Sometimes, we approach prayer as though its purpose is to convince God to make things turn out the way we want. We have a preferred outcome, so we pray for God to make it happen. But some of the most powerful prayers don’t start with “God, give me what I want,” but instead, “God, give me what YOU want.” Jesus modeled this perfectly in the garden before his crucifixion in Luke 22:42. Knowing what was ahead, He prayed, “Not my will, but yours, be done.” This is an incredibly freeing way to pray.
There are situations in life where we simply do not know what the outcome will be. Should I take this opportunity? Should I stay or go? Will this door open or close? Will this situation turn out the way I hope? Sometimes we want God to take away our pain and suffering, but it remains. Prayer doesn’t always give us the answer we expected. Instead, it reminds us of whose hands our lives are in.
In Philippians 4:6, Paul tells us, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” The peace of knowing that God is in control and that you are within His will is one of prayer’s greatest blessings.
When we have sincerely prayed, surrendered our desires, and sought God’s will, we can move forward with peace. If the door opens, we trust Him. If it closes, we trust Him. If the answer is yes or no, we trust Him. Not only do we trust Him, but hopefully we rejoice, knowing that His will is good, perfect, and pleasing. So, as we become a congregation more devoted to prayer, we will also experience one of its greatest blessings: the peace of knowing that no matter where God leads, being within His will is the best place we could possibly be.