Lord's Prayer: Thy Will Be Doneনমুনা

A lot of times people miss the point when they pray, “Thy will be done.” Too often people pray this part of the Lord’s Prayer like this: “Lord, I really want you to help my friend who’s hurting right now. But I know that might not be your will. So Lord, your will be done.” Or, “Lord, I really want you to heal my dad who’s sick right now. But I know that might not be your will. So Lord, your will be done.”

In some ways a prayer like this is beautiful. It demonstrates an incredible amount of faith that trusts God might have greater purposes or different timing in the face of the pain that we see or healing for someone we so desperately want. It goes off the rails when we start to think God desires the suffering and hurt of others, or that he foreordains every struggle and malady we face. That’s predicated on a confusion of what God’s will is.

So let’s talk God’s will. There’s at least two different aspects to it– his prescribed will and his desired will.

God’s prescribed will are those things God has decided will happen. Things he’s ordained and decreed. Sometimes these are unknown. But sometimes God makes them known. You’ll find them in statements he makes, covenants, and promises. Now you will find times in the Bible when people change God’s mind on his prescribed will (think Ninevites repenting in Jonah or Moses with the people of Israel). It’s almost like God said something he really didn’t want to do, and the response of people brought him back around to his deeper desire. But typically God’s prescribed will is the things God has set his mind to do and nothing is going to ultimately change it, no matter what. If God promises something, he’s going to do it, one way or another. He might change the timing, but it’s going to happen.

Then there’s God’s desired will. It’s those things God wants. And a lot of things that happen in this world are not what God wants. “Wait,” you might say, “God doesn’t get everything he wants?” Correct. God does not get everything he wants. One quick example shows this. God wants all people to be saved (1 Tim 2:4). Does that mean they will be? Not according to Jesus. And it breaks God’s heart. God lets things happen that go contrary to his desires. From the fall of Adam and Even in the Garden to our daily rebellion against him to all the pain, suffering, and destruction of Sin and Death in this world, you can see how much happens that is contrary to God’s will.

Some people think everything is God’s will. This makes no sense. If so, why pray for it? Certainly nothing can happen outside of God’s knowledge or control, but much like a parent who allows a child to go his own way, God allows a lot of things he doesn’t want.

So what is Jesus telling us to pray? “Father, you say this is what you want. You’ve told me and shown me. So force it. Coerce it. Make it happen! Against all our stupidity, rebellion, stubbornness, and contrary to all the just consequences we should face for our actions, do things your way!” “Thy will be done” is not a resigned sigh. It’s a shout to heaven.

Consider this today…

Where might you be praying too softly or meekly? Examine whether what you’re asking for is truly of God’s desire. If it is, pray boldly that God would get his way today!