Your Will Be Done

Mark 14:36 “Abba, Father,” he cried out, “everything is possible for you. Please take this cup of suffering away from me. Yet I want Your will to be done, not mine.”

A familiar verse, right?  We've all heard it plenty of times.  Maybe even prayed it, spoke it.  I know I have.  My biggest issue comes with trying to live as if this is true.  I was given the song "Your Will Be Done"  by a friend and as I listened to it after writing the "Counting on God" entry.  And that song was another God visit that dovetailed with that entry entry.   I included it on the previous "Counting on God" entry.

If I am counting on God's love, then I will heartfully say, "I want Your will to be done, not mine."  And in my heart, I can say that.  But then my flesh.....oh boy, my flesh!  "NOOOO!!  I want my way!  I'm right. My needs and wants matter more."  Yup, that old selfish flesh gets in the way of the "Your will not mine be done" part.  

When my husband doesn't understand me.  When he doesn't pick up after himself and God tells me to be adaptable, be a servant.  My flesh screams, "NOOOO!" and then my heart hears the Holy Spirit whisper, follow me.  

When someone at church says something that hurts my feelings.  When a friend doesn't consider my needs.  When the Bible study group doesn't want to study what I think we should.  The Holy Spirit gently reminds me, "4 Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud 5 or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged. 6 It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. 7 Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance. (1 Corinthians 13:4-7)  "Your will not mine be done."

Harder words have never been spoken.  LOL  Do I believe these words Jesus spoke in the Garden of Gethsemane?  Do I believe I am to follow my Savior's example.  Do I believe He He meant it when He said in Luke 9:23  “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross daily, and follow me."?   Yes to all those.  But boy is it hard to do sometimes.  

Lord, help us!  Let us truly say, mean and live out these words.  Let Your will totally be done in our lives and let us follow Your ways and not our own.  Help us to lay down our own thoughts, needs, desires, and selfishness and follow Your Holy Spirit in all things.  In the Name of our precious Savior and Lord, Jesus Christ. 

Examine your heart.  Examine your responses to every day living.  Where do you need to lay down your will to follow the Father's?