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"Let thy will be done!"

righteousdude2

Well-Known Member
Site Supporter
I'm sure that all of us, pastors and laypersons, have laid hands on the sick, hurting, suffering, needy and searching and prayed. And I am sure all of us at one time or another have uttered the words, "Father, was ask this in Your name, and that Your will be done!"

But, what does that mean, "let your will be done?" Is that a cop out on our behalf, so when a prayer is not answered in the way we sought God to respond and answer, we can tell the person we prayed for (who didn't see his or her prayer answered) that God didn't answer it because it "just wasn't in His perfect will!"

I have had a lot of folks return to the alter, or seek me out after church, to ask what went wrong? After all we prayed for them. In fact the Deacons, Associate Pastors and layperson all laid hands on them and prayed along with me that such and such be done, asking it in His perfect will for that person."

I would love to know how you woud respond to that person? So please share! And should we pray for His will to be done, or just pray that He meet the person and their need(s), right where they kneel or stand? Thanks for you feedback and wisdom! :praying:
 

PreachTony

Active Member
When I first began in the ministry my grandfather, who I often turned to for advice and encouragement, told me to always pray for His will to be done. He had seen several people pray for healing that never came, and then they grew angry at God. Imagine praying for healing that is not in the will of God. You've now set that person up for disappointment and given them a reason to be angry with God.

Praying for His will to be done is not at all a cop out on our beliefs. I think it should be at the heart of our work here on Earth. We should always seek what is in His will. If He blesses with healing, or if like Paul, He tells us His Grace is sufficient, we should simply always seek after His will.
 

HAMel

Well-Known Member
Site Supporter
Early in my Christian life (after realizing wave after wave of disappointments) I approached our Pastor asking how I could find God's Will for my life. His response was as follows..., "God's Will for you life is in the Bible..., read your Bible." That made about as much sense to me as greasing an eel. Obviously, we were speaking on two different levels.

He, of course, was referring to spiritual matters while I was seeking advice in areas of everyday life. I remember going home befuddled.

I am now under the impression (41 years later) that we often pray for selfish reason's. My Lord has fully provided my "needs". My "wants" are still out there somewhere.

"Telling" the Lord we want to feel good and get well and get better and overcome any calamity, leaves a bit to be desired.
 

blackbird

Active Member
I'm sure that all of us, pastors and laypersons, have laid hands on the sick, hurting, suffering, needy and searching and prayed. And I am sure all of us at one time or another have uttered the words, "Father, was ask this in Your name, and that Your will be done!"

But, what does that mean, "let your will be done?" Is that a cop out on our behalf, so when a prayer is not answered in the way we sought God to respond and answer, we can tell the person we prayed for (who didn't see his or her prayer answered) that God didn't answer it because it "just wasn't in His perfect will!"

I have had a lot of folks return to the alter, or seek me out after church, to ask what went wrong? After all we prayed for them. In fact the Deacons, Associate Pastors and layperson all laid hands on them and prayed along with me that such and such be done, asking it in His perfect will for that person."

I would love to know how you woud respond to that person? So please share! And should we pray for His will to be done, or just pray that He meet the person and their need(s), right where they kneel or stand? Thanks for you feedback and wisdom! :praying:

The Lord Jesus prayed-----not MY will, but YOURS be done!!

Finding God's will is done by-----completely loosing ours!!!

Calvary's Cross was NOT the Son's will----it was the Father's will----and what was the Father's will became the will of His Only Begotten Sonl!! It wasn't the idea that the Son's will was submerged in His Father's will----but it was the idea that the Son's will was forsaken in favor of His Father's!!

Doing God's will will always cost you yours!!!

:saint::saint::saint:
 

Zaac

Well-Known Member
When I first began in the ministry my grandfather, who I often turned to for advice and encouragement, told me to always pray for His will to be done. He had seen several people pray for healing that never came, and then they grew angry at God. Imagine praying for healing that is not in the will of God. You've now set that person up for disappointment and given them a reason to be angry with God.

Praying for His will to be done is not at all a cop out on our beliefs. I think it should be at the heart of our work here on Earth. We should always seek what is in His will. If He blesses with healing, or if like Paul, He tells us His Grace is sufficient, we should simply always seek after His will.

:applause::applause::thumbs: AMEN!
 

annsni

Well-Known Member
Site Supporter
We have our will and God has His. We can express our will (that someone would be healed, that someone would be saved, I'd get that job, etc.) but God's will is what we really want in the end. Sometimes that's just hard to accept because we don't see the picture that God sees. But there is a purpose and a reason for His will coming to pass.
 

righteousdude2

Well-Known Member
Site Supporter
When I first began in the ministry my grandfather, who I often turned to for advice and encouragement, told me to always pray for His will to be done. He had seen several people pray for healing that never came, and then they grew angry at God. Imagine praying for healing that is not in the will of God. You've now set that person up for disappointment and given them a reason to be angry with God.

Praying for His will to be done is not at all a cop out on our beliefs. I think it should be at the heart of our work here on Earth. We should always seek what is in His will. If He blesses with healing, or if like Paul, He tells us His Grace is sufficient, we should simply always seek after His will.


AMEN! I couldn't agree more. Like Paul, I've got thorns, and I've been for prayer many times. Now people ask me why I no longer go forward for prayer, and I tell them I sought healing and feel at peace that his strength is more than sufficient in my physical weakness. In fact my story is of assistance to those, who like me, pray and remain disabled. I believe it is perfectly acceptable to go through life with a thorn or two. Loved your answer PT.
 

righteousdude2

Well-Known Member
Site Supporter
Early in my Christian life (after realizing wave after wave of disappointments) I approached our Pastor asking how I could find God's Will for my life. His response was as follows..., "God's Will for you life is in the Bible..., read your Bible." That made about as much sense to me as greasing an eel. Obviously, we were speaking on two different levels.

He, of course, was referring to spiritual matters while I was seeking advice in areas of everyday life. I remember going home befuddled.

I am now under the impression (41 years later) that we often pray for selfish reason's. My Lord has fully provided my "needs". My "wants" are still out there somewhere.

"Telling" the Lord we want to feel good and get well and get better and overcome any calamity, leaves a bit to be desired.

Right on. If God does nothing else for me but save me from the consequences of my sin, then I have been more than adequately blessed in this life. The greatest miracle was how God sent his son to die for my sin, and to permit me to be part of the event and be free of sin, is the greatest of all miracles. Anything and everything else is the cherry on top of sundae.
 

The American Dream

Member
Site Supporter
When I first began in the ministry my grandfather, who I often turned to for advice and encouragement, told me to always pray for His will to be done. He had seen several people pray for healing that never came, and then they grew angry at God. Imagine praying for healing that is not in the will of God. You've now set that person up for disappointment and given them a reason to be angry with God.

Praying for His will to be done is not at all a cop out on our beliefs. I think it should be at the heart of our work here on Earth. We should always seek what is in His will. If He blesses with healing, or if like Paul, He tells us His Grace is sufficient, we should simply always seek after His will.

Excellent post I could not have said it as well. At church, we have prayed numerous times for those sick or near death. Something like, "Lord if it is Your will, our hearts desire is to see this person healed and back in our fellowship." This is usually a church wide prayer. When the Lord acts, we accept it as His will, then will continue to pray for the family.
 

padredurand

Well-Known Member
Site Supporter
James 4:13-15 NAS77
13 Come now, you who say, "Today or tomorrow, we shall go to such and such a city, and spend a year there and engage in business and make a profit."
14 Yet you do not know what your life will be like tomorrow. You are just a vapor that appears for a little while and then vanishes away.
15 Instead, you ought to say, "If the Lord wills, we shall live and also do this or that."​
 

just-want-peace

Well-Known Member
Site Supporter
Thank you guys for these comments!!!!!!!!!!!
Most (maybe all) really hit home for answering an uneasy feeling I've had for years about praying for the sick etc.
We know absolutely that God wants to save the lost, so no conflict there, but the afflicted - well we really have no idea what His plans are.
At any rate, this thread makes me feel much better for the way I have "discerned" praying for the sick .
 

HAMel

Well-Known Member
Site Supporter
J-W-Peace..., I heard from a pulpit once of this woman in her 60's that was reduced to the bed due to "Osteogenesis imperfecta", which is a disease that causes weak bones to break easily.

As the story went, stuck to the ceiling above her bed were pictures of many individuals serving in the ministry and as she could do nothing else, she prayed for them individually each day.

I don't know if the story is correct or not but even though she couldn't get out of bed without bones breaking, she still served my praying.
 
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