I have the pleasure of being included in a mass church prayer chain email because I am related to the person who runs it. There’s no way out now. Save yourself, it’s too late for me.
I can easily say that I am a person with few pet peeves. I enjoy a carefree live-and-let-live life.
I can also easily say that if I let myself think about all the stupid things people do then I am a controlling judgmental psychopath. (Really, it’s a choice every day what I will allow my mind to do and what I won’t)
Anyway, these emails give me urges toward poisoning, strangulation and body-hiding creativity I haven’t felt since I was married to my first husband.
Instead I think I’ll channel it into a blog post.
There are two things that self-respecting Christians need to stop doing immediately. Well there are way more than that, but I’m going to address two today.
Number one:
Stop trying to manipulate God with your prayers. Stop praying for your own will.
Just stop it.
Seriously.
What are we? Kindergarten Christians? What is this? Fast food religion?
Jesus made it clear how we should pray.
Not my will…
But yours…
I wish I had a mango-a-go-go Jamba Juice every time someone told me what magic words to pray so they could have what they want. It would at least ease the pain a little.
Don’t get me wrong. God is a good father and so we are not only welcome to ask him for things, he likes it. But for the love of God… LITERALLY… don’t forget that your everyday prayers are not supposed to be about you and what you want out of the deal.
God is a not a genie in a lamp.
You are not placing an order at Taco Bell.
You are definitely not the best judge of what is best for you in the long run.
Not my will…
But yours…
This should be our prayer every day of our lives. Do you have any idea what would happen to your life if you prayed this every time??!
Instead of:
God please let me win
please let me have what I want
please take away all the consequences of my actions without me having to change the stupid things I am doing that are causing them
Just.
Stop it.
Not my will…
But yours…
Even to DEATH this was Jesus’ prayer. Most Christians I know wouldn’t pray this if their landscaping was at risk, let alone their lives. But the things this mindset would do to enrich your life and the lives of everyone around you (especially those on your prayer chain email list) because it would protect you from the idiotic short-sightedness that is the human way of reasoning. And it would show you what a real relationship with God can actually be like. One that is developing more mature faith. One that stops being afraid. Stops trying to control things. Stops believing that your comfort and happiness are more important than your character and God’s big picture story.
Okay I know I may be coming on a little strong, but cold delivery is simply my way. Truly I have a very strong desire to see people thrive and to see God exalted. That is what all this is about.
God’s will done.
God exalted.
God glorified.
And no matter what you lose, no matter what goes wrong in your life, no matter who hurt you, no matter what kinds of fears you struggle with, if his will is done in your life instead of yours, YOU WILL THRIVE IN WAYS YOU NEVER THOUGHT POSSIBLE. Because his will includes the best possible outcome for everything. Including you (he’s that good, really).
You have high blood pressure? Don’t just pray for him to make it come down, pray for his will in your health. Then he might show you how he created your body to thrive and heal itself with new lifestyle choices. You want the house but everything is going wrong and the closing date keeps getting pushed back? Don’t just pray that you get the house, pray for his will in where you live. He might be trying to save you from a money pit or move you across town for a specific reason. Having trouble in your marriage? Don’t just pray that God will show your spouse the errors of his or her ways. Pray for his will in your marriage. Maybe he’ll show you how to honor someone else and the love will start pouring out at you in response.
Well I said I was going to talk about two things but I feel a very strong resolve right now and so I am going to stop right here. I’ll save the second thing for another day. And I am going to end with the way Jesus taught us to pray. Every day this should be the way we pray.
Put it in your own words.
Make it mean something to you.
Write it down and tape it all over your house, your office.
Ask him for things, sure, he delights in the requests of his children, but remember ultimately we need to learn to desire his will above our own. Even Jesus said, If it’s possible God, please don’t let me die like this, BUT… in the end your will over mine. This is the only way we will find true happiness in the end anyway. The stuff we think we want never ends up being that great.
My father in heaven
You are holy holy holy
Let your kingdom take its place here in my world
Let your will be done in my life in the lives of my friends in the lives of my family in our world like it is in your world
Please provide what I need today
Forgive me
Help me forgive them
Help me avoid temptation
Help me avoid evil
It’s your kingdom
It’s your power
And it’s your glory
Forever.
Liked this post? Follow this blog to get more.