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Resting in the Will of God
- 11/14/10
- 5
I very much appreciated this prayer written by Pastor Scotty Smith. It’s a prayer that teaches theology in an area where there is great confusion—the will of God. I won’t introduce it any further than that.
In his heart a man plans his course, but the LORD determines his steps. Proverbs 16:9
Sovereign Father, this promise brings me immeasurable peace, humility, and joy. You’re vitally engaged in determining and directing every one of our steps. You’re working all things together after the counsel of your will. You’re working in all things for your glory and for our good. You open doors no man can shut and you shut doors no man can open. Indeed, you’re no mere life coach, you’re the Lord of all things… including me.
Many years I labored under the arrogance and anxiety of assuming that if I prayed hard enough and long enough… that if I was really filled with and “tuned” into the Holy Spirit, I could know the specifics of your will for my life… well in advance of any decision that needed to be made. Of course, my assumption was that if I was in your will, life would be enjoyable, pleasant and hassle-free.
If I bought the right car, it would never break down…If I bought the right house, the roof would never leak… If I married the right person, we would never disagree… If I went to the right college I’d get the right job and life would be all-right... If I sent my kids to the right school, they would never act out and would end up on the mission field. If all of this was true, I wouldn’t really need you.
Father, you’re certainly honored when we work hard to make good plans, in keeping with our understanding of the Scriptures. It’s important for us to seek and heed, wise prayerful counsel of good and godly friends. But help us to live with more confidence that Jesus is the Good Shepherd, not a consulting partner… a very present Lord, not an absentee landlord… the reigning King, not an impotent bystander. Because of Jesus, I’m confident your will is being done… on earth as it is in heaven.
Free us to accept that many times your will leads to great suffering and pain. It’s called the cross. But the cross and resurrection go together. Hallelujah! What a most glorious and gracious Father you are. So very Amen, we pray, in Jesus’ exalted and very present name.
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I am a follower of Jesus Christ, a husband to Aileen and a father to three young children. I worship and serve as a pastor at 
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Comments (5)
Wow, what a beautiful prayer! You should also check out John MacArthur’s sermon on the will of God if you have not:http://www.gty.org/Resources/Sermons/80-310
Very very good. Thanks Tim!
Excellent prayer, from a good man’s heart.
Fits with my sermon today, and the Scripture text:
“For none of us lives to himself, and none of us dies to himself. For if we live, we live to the Lord, and if we die, we die to the Lord. So then, whether we live or whether we die, we are the Lord’s. For to this end Christ died and lived again, that he might be Lord both of the dead and of the living.”
If we are saints, then we are not living for ourselves. Though we surely do live for ourselves.
Here’s David Crum’s sermon, if you want to hear: http://www.bcrecmd.org/component/option,com_sermonspeaker/task,singleser…
I needed that. Tim, thank you for being so purposeful about posting positive things that lead us to Jesus. You are a blessing.
That’s a great scripture. It’s the memory verse for the “Free Will & Pre-Destination” week of a two-year Discipleship Curriculum (DC) in our church. There’s a nice book entitled “Across the Spectrum” by Boyd and Eddy that’s also used to supplement some of these thornier doctrinal issues.