THY WILL BE DONE DEVOTIONAL PART 2 (DEVO)

What if God doesn’t answer my prayer even when I pray in faith? How can I trust him in my disappointments? Maybe you are like me and have struggled through some of these questions and more. Recently I have discovered trusting God in my prayer life to be very difficult. Through my questioning, this is what God has been teaching me about prayer.

Have Faith No Matter the Outcome

In the book of Daniel, three friends stood in opposition to a King’s command to worship idols. Their stance leads them to a fiery furnace, where they proclaimed this truth:

“If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to deliver us from it, and he will deliver us from Your Majesty’s hand. But even if he does not, we want you to know, Your Majesty, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up.” (Daniel 3:17-18)

Wow! Can you imagine seeing your impending death right before your eyes and still proclaim in boldness that God can save, but even if he doesn’t, your devotion to Him will not change? God did save these three men while in the furnace. However, if he had not, and you were reading this particular story in scripture, would that have changed your devotion to Him? These men claimed that their commitment to God would not have changed, and they proved their faith by refusing to worship an idol even though it meant death. They literally walked by faith into the fire. It was in the furnace God met them and worked an incredible miracle for His glory.  

Submit to the Father’s Will

Jesus experienced a similar situation as the three friends from the book of Daniel. However, God answered His prayer differently. Jesus, knowing the excruciating pain of death he would endure for the sake of sinners, cried out to God, in the garden of Gethsemane:

“He withdrew about a stone’s throw beyond them, knelt down and prayed, “Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done.” An angel from heaven appeared to him and strengthened him. And being in anguish, he prayed more earnestly, and his sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground.” (Luke 22:41-44)

Jesus had faith that God could take away the pain of death, yet he was also willing to submit to the Father’s will. God did not save him from the sting of death; instead, he used his suffering and death for the good of the world.

Learn As Jesus Did

What do we do when we fail to speak with the same faith as Daniel’s friends and pray with the same submission as Jesus? I think the first step is examining how our perfect Savior lived. Hebrews 5:7-11 says:

“During the days of Jesus’ life on earth, he offered up prayers and petitions with fervent cries and tears to the one who could save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverent submission. Son though he was, he learned obedience from what he suffered and, once made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him and was designated by God to be high priest in the order of Melchizedek.” 

This scripture offers an incredible sense of encouragement you can cling to knowing that even Jesus had to learn obedience to the Father. The action of obeying is a learned process. Jesus is our example of how to live obediently for the glory of God. And while he is perfect, Jesus also understands your weaknesses and can sympathize with you (Hebrews 4:15).

Vulnerably I say, I love God, but I struggle with prayer. However, I take great comfort in knowing that I am learning daily. And so, I invite you into the process of learning to pray like Jesus with me. Every day, you can commit to praying in faith and submission, just as Jesus did. And when you struggle in your prayer life, and oh you will, ask for forgiveness and lean into the grace given to you from your perfect Savior; it is only because of Him that you can do anything at all. Jesus is, after all, the founder and perfecter of our faith.

Reflect and Connect

In what ways have you struggled with prayer? How have you overcome those struggles?
What roles do submission and faith have to prayer?
Does praying for God’s Will to be done mean you aren’t praying in faith?