Your Will Be Done

Dear Counselors,
This morning I was reading the book of Esther and these words continue with me. It’s the words that Zerish spoke to her evil husband Haman. Zeresh said to him, “Since Mordecai, before whom your downfall has started, is of Jewish origin, you cannot stand against him – you will surely come to ruin” (Esther 6:13). In other words, if you pit yourself up against the Sovereign God of the universe – it’s not a battle that you’re going to win!

At the beginning of another beautiful week, how important it is that our feet are planted in the center of God’s will. To be anywhere else is a losing battle! Let’s turn to the Word together.



YOUR WILL BE DONE



This, then, is how you should pray: Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.

Matthew 6:9-13

The Lord’s Prayer is a beautiful prayer and pattern for our prayers. Within it there are at least four words that are much easier to recite than they are to live out. Here’s what they are for me: Your will be done.

To pray Your will be done is asking God that His perfect purpose be accomplished in this world as it is in heaven, and it comes not by doing our will but by doing God’s.

Some of the things that God wills are easy to identify – love God, love your neighbor, tell the truth, be patient, give generously, and more. Other circumstances require much discernment and prayer . . . where should I invest my time and resources? Where should I seek employment/should I seek employment? Should I serve within the GEMS ministry or is He leading me to another ministry?

Within her book, The Magnificent Obsession – Embracing the God-Filled Life, Anne Graham Lotz writes, “Since God expects you and me to live in obedience to His will, He will not hide it from us. But He does expect us to prayerfully seek it.” These are the four principles that Anne uses to help her seek the will of God. (Read pages 114-117 to learn more.)


1. Practical circumstances. God opens the door for the thing that you’ve been praying for and things practically fall into place – something that could only be orchestrated by God Himself!
2. The counsel of mature, godly people. God uses people to speak His wisdom into our life. There’s affirmation when the things we’ve been secretly praying are reiterated through their wisdom.
3. Inner conviction. God places heavy burdens in our life that seem to attach to us like crazy glue – a heart for the homeless, a restlessness within our work, a grief for lonely people within the church.
4. The confirmation of God’s Word. God uses His Word to speak His will into our lives. His invitation, His commands, and His perfect plan are revealed as we read, study, and mediate on Scripture.


Anne shared that she’s made decisions based on three out of the four principles, but one of them has always been God’s Word.

Prayer Step: Are you struggling to know God’s will? Expectantly seek it through prayer and Scripture today.



If you seek God’s guidance with an open mind, humbly willing to do whatever He says, He will teach you the right way to go and “land” you safely in the center of His will.

Anne Graham Lotz


Grace and peace,


Lenae