My one-year-old daughter knows a total of three words: “Dada,” “Mama,” and “No.” And her “No” isn’t just a soft little whine; it’s a howling, yowling wail. Her head shakes vigorously, usually while she’s writhing on the floor.
Typically, her protests are because my husband and I are trying to get her to do things that are good for her — things like changing her diaper, drying her off after a bath, or brushing her five little teeth. But she’s not able to see the good in these tasks. She can’t see the big picture. In the moment, allowing us to take care of her in this way is absolute torture.
This portion of The Lord’s Prayer reminds me how I’m like my daughter so much of the time. Though I pray “Your kingdom come, your will be done...” I complain, I fuss, and I sometimes even wail in the midst of a trying time of life. I can’t see the big picture. I can’t see how God may be using this experience to significantly shape me. I can’t see His greater purpose.
God is a good Father. He takes care of us, and His will is definitely higher than ours. And unlike me, His patience is great. He doesn’t mind when we protest. He gets it, and He comforts us through it all. Though we often don’t understand why He does things the way He does, He is in control. So let’s keep praying for His will to be done, and to trust in His big picture.
Dear Father, thank you that you are in control, and that your Holy Spirit is the ultimate comforter. Help me to trust you in every circumstance, despite how difficult that may be. May your will become mine. Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Amen.
Go Deeper — Reflect on a time in the past when God used a difficult experience to strengthen your character or equip you to help others. Be encouraged! God is in the midst of whatever you’re going through right now, and will use it for his greater purpose. He’s done it in the past, and He will do it again.
Read Further — Praising God in Hard Times
Photo Credit: Vincent Guth