Not My Will

Then He said to them, “My soul is exceedingly sorrowful, even to death. Stay here and watch with Me.” He went a little farther and fell on His face, and prayed, saying, “O My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as You will.” (Matthew 26:38-39)

The Lord Jesus came to earth on a mission, and in order to accomplish that mission, He was going to have to give His life in the most painful and humiliating way. He was not the kind of king, nor was this the kind of kingdom His disciples or Israel expected -- nor could they understand the words He spoke or the path He walked. Jesus was keenly aware that no one on earth would understand, and He would have to resist every fleshly temptation to consider anyone's will other than the Father's -- even His own.

There will be times when doing the Lord's will is very painful, and we may even question why things are as they are or must be done a certain way. No one around us may understand what God is doing with us, and we are left with no common-sense explanation for the situation in which we find ourselves. Every man or woman God calls and chooses will experience these times, just as our Savior did; and we will keep coming back to those times until we come to the same point of surrender, ". . . nevertheless, not as I will, but as You will." God's will for us can only be accomplished when we break from the natural tendency to go our way, leave all, and follow Jesus. May we not shrink from the call and accept the will of the Father, even when it hurts. Remember, the Father always knows best.

Let's Pray - Dear God, give me the same attitude and courage Jesus had. May I submit myself freely to Your will, especially when it is most difficult. Amen.