As human beings, we are prone to think of what is best for us. We fail to comprehend our limits and most of the time depend on human understanding. We need to understand that there is the Creator God who loves us and accordingly does what is best for us. On our own, we are unable to do anything. He has a greater vision as He knows the end from the beginning and His ways are higher than ours. In Isaiah 55:8-9 the Lord says “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD. 9 For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.” It thus logically follows that we should trust in the Lord. Psalms 118:8-9 “It is better to trust in the LORD than to put confidence in man. 9 It is better to trust in the LORD than to put confidence in princes.
The Lord assures us in Mathew 7:9-11 “Or what man is there of you, whom if his son ask bread, will he give him a stone? 10 Or if he ask a fish, will he give him a serpent? 11 If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him? We need to trust in the Lord. There is another promise that Jesus gives to us in John 14:13-14 “And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. 14 If ye shall ask anything in my name, I will do it.” When we ask for something for our selfish ends that does not glorify God, such prayers may not be answered.
When we are one with God, our prayers will be more for others and less for ourselves. The overall attitude will be that His will should be done rather than ours. The greatest example is that of Jesus. “Thy will be done” is one of the requests in the Lord’s Prayer. To pray, “Thy will be done,” is to ask God to do what He desires. When we pray, “Thy will be done,” we acknowledge God’s right to rule. As a point of clarification, “Thy will be done” is not a prayer of resignation. Jesus’ prayer in Gethsemane was not passive or fatalistic in the least bit; He bared His heart before the Father and revealed His ultimate desire: for God’s will to be accomplished. Mathew 26:42 “He went away again the second time, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if this cup may not pass away from me, except I drink it, thy will be done.” Praying, “Thy will be done,” acknowledges that God has more knowledge than we do and that we trust His way which is the best. Further, it is a commitment to actively work to further the execution of God’s will.
We are God’s children and He gives us what is best for us and at a time when it is best for us. Our lives must be right with God before He can answer our prayers. If we have faith and sincerely trust God, we will not be concerned as to whether the answer is "wait" or the answer is "no" or "yes." We must just trust, and wait and see if God in His timing will see fit to answer as we have requested, or if He has something better in mind for us. We should always remember our prayer should end with "Not my will, Lord, but Your will." (Luke 22:42). "Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct thy paths." Proverbs 3:5,6.
Dr Ashwin Drummond
laddertoheaven.co.in