Listen to this articleMatthew 6:9-13
[9] After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.
[10] Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.
[11] Give us this day our daily bread.
[12] And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.
[13] And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.
Luke 11:2-4
[2] And he said unto them, When ye pray, say, Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, as in heaven, so in earth.
[3] Give us day by day our daily bread.
[4] And forgive us our sins; for we also forgive every one that is indebted to us. And lead us not into temptation; but deliver us from evil.
In two places of the Bible we see recorded by Matthew and Luke, similar variations of an instructional prayer where Jesus taught His Disciples how to pray.
Our focus will be on Matthew 6:10 and the last part of Luke 11:2.
When have you had something taken away either forcefully or willingly? Have you ever been fired from a job and didn’t think it was fair? Have you ever had to give up something you enjoyed doing and regret it?
We get so focused on the things we have lost. We see other people able to do things and have stuff, comparing our life to theirs, and find ourselves saying that should be me. I should be in their position. We lose sight of the path we should be on and the importance of God’s will in our life in an attempt to impose our will over His.
I worked for an owner of a convenience store for about 4 years. I never asked for time off unless I was dreadfully sick or had a death in the family. It has always been him and myself. Then the owner hired someone new. The new guy comes in and tells me that the owner wanted me to train him. Reluctantly I asked, “Why should I train you to take over my job?” Which he replies, “The owner said you need a couple days off and he needed a few days off. I’m here to work when you’re off.” So, I train him. I was able to go to church. I was working and everything was going good.
We all know about the covid virus. One day I wasn’t feeling well and I went to the doctor and was told I was sick and had to stay home. I called my boss, the owner, and apprised him of the situation and I followed the doctor’s instructions. I stayed home. Three days into quarantine, I had people calling me, asking if everything was alright. They were being told by the guy at the store that they had to let me go. I knew I didn’t quit, I was in quarantine, but I had been fired.
I later realized, that by being fired was a blessing in disguise. I didn’t see it, couldn’t see it because of the anger I had over training someone then first chance he got, he took my job.
I was stuck in that job and never had plans to quit. I was comfortable.
I’ll tell you from this experience and a few others I’ve had in my life, sometimes, it isn’t God’s plan for you to always be comfortable.
You see, God took me out of my comfort zone because He has a bigger and better plan for me. Not to punish me but to move me to a place where I can better serve Him. It just took some time to realize it.
The trials in your life is usually opportunities for learning and spiritual growth. You may be going through something right now that doesn’t make sense. You may have been taken out of your comfort zone by a co-worker, a family member, or a stranger and you acted in a way that you normally don’t. This action clouded your mind and took you just far enough away from God where you couldn’t see the vision or understand the plan He had for you. Your mind was on where you had been or what was taken from you instead of where you’re going and what God has in store for you.
The evidence of this is seen throughout the Bible. Like with Jonah, with the Israelites. Do you think David would have been the great king he was without the trials in his life and coming full-circle back to God?
We overlook the possibilities right in front of us because we hurt over what we don’t have, and think about the things we should have, instead of listening to God and seeing what we could have.
Instead of, “my will be done,” we should be saying and praying, “Thy will be done.”