Thy will be done
Author
Dr. Roberto Miranda
Summary: Jesus Christ was a model of complete submission to the will of God. He surrendered his own will to God's plan for his life, even when it meant suffering and death. As followers of Christ, we should also strive to submit to God's will in our lives, even when it is difficult or goes against our desires. By doing so, we will experience spiritual growth and intimacy with Christ. Our prayer should always be "Thy will be done."
The Lord Jesus Christ knew what He was talking about when He instructed His disciples to always pray "Your will be done." His whole life was an expression of a will totally submitted to the greater will of the Father. On one occasion he graphically declared: "My food is to do the will of him who sent me, and to finish his work" (John 4:34). The total identity of Jesus was mired in his absolute subjection to the will of the Father. His coming into the world had been in obedience to God's desire that he serve as a holy sacrifice for the redemption of the world.
When it came time to climb the cross, the Lord experienced the deepest and most overwhelming anguish imaginable. He knew that by obeying God's will, he would have to swallow the most bitter drink that anyone had ever had. However, after asking the Father to exempt him from that bitter drink, he declared: "But not my will, but yours be done" (Luke 22:42).
The power of Jesus Christ resided, paradoxically, in his total submission to the will of his Father. By humbling himself and totally surrendering to Him, he received absolute power, and “a Name that is above every name” (Philippians 2: 9).
Paul advises us to cultivate "the same mind that was also in Christ Jesus" (Philippians 2: 5). This "feeling" refers to the totally subject and obedient attitude of Jesus, who "humbled himself, becoming obedient unto death, and death on the cross" (v. 8). We too must pray with every beat of our heart, "Thy will be done." Our whole life should be a continual submission to the will and preferences of our heavenly Father. By doing this, we will achieve true spiritual greatness, we will receive the power of God in our lives, and we will be in intimate communion with the spirit of Jesus Christ, who reached a maximum level of surrender and subjection to the will of his Father.
Even when God brings circumstances and situations into our lives contrary to what we hope or desire, our final request must also be, "But not my will, but yours."
"Lord, may your perfect will be fulfilled in my life, and may I receive enough grace to gladly abide by it, knowing that everything that comes from you, even if it is painful, is good and perfect, and for my good." Amen.