Praying For God’s Will – Submitting To God’s Way

When life is hard, and things don’t go as we planned we get discouraged. In times like these we go to God in prayer. As we pray fervently we hope that God will answer us the way we want Him to. We pray for God’s will to be done, and when we find that God’s will is not as we planned or desired, we lose heart.

Let’s look at people in the bible who prayed, and received answers not the way they expected. The way they handled these situations will help us understand how we too should accept the plans of God for our lives though it may not be appealing to us.

1. Moses pleaded with God to be excused

Moses had this amazing encounter with God at the burning bush in Exodus 3 and God called him to stand before Pharaoh on behalf of the Israelites and deliver them from the cruel bondage. Moses gave many excuses, but let me highlight one.

In Exodus 4:10-12, But Moses said to the LORD, “Oh, my Lord, I am not eloquent, either in the past or since you have spoken to your servant, but I am slow of speech and of tongue.” 11 Then the LORD said to him, “Who has made man's mouth? Who makes him mute, or deaf, or seeing, or blind? Is it not I, the LORD? 12 Now therefore go, and I will be with your mouth and teach you what you shall speak.” (ESV)

God could have healed Moses instantly as God had chosen Moses to fulfill His mission to deliver the Israelites from bondage. However, the Lord wanted Moses to go in spite of his weakness. God reminded Moses that our ability to hear, see, speak are all from Him, and the inability to do so is also allowed by God. God wanted Moses to submit to His will and obey His command, in spite of his weakness. When Moses kept on insisting that he was incapable of the task at hand, God was angry with Moses, but God graciously allowed his brother Aaron be his mouthpiece.

Sometimes we pray, and when God speaks we make excuses for not doing what God is calling us to do. God may not change our circumstances, but He reminds us that in spite of all our weaknesses and struggles, He can still use us because He is sovereign. If you are struggling with a disability or if someone who is close to you is, remember that God is the creator, and He is in perfect control.

2. Moses pleaded with God to enter the Promised Land

We read in Deuteronomy 3:23-26, “And I pleaded with the LORD at that time, saying, 24 ‘O Lord GOD, you have only begun to show your servant your greatness and your mighty hand. For what god is there in heaven or on earth who can do such works and mighty acts as yours? 25 Please let me go over and see the good land beyond the Jordan, that good hill country and Lebanon.’ 26 But the LORD was angry with me because of you and would not listen to me. And the LORD said to me, ‘Enough from you; do not speak to me of this matter again. (ESV)

Moses led the people of Israel for forty long years faithfully. In a moment of anger he dishonored God, and struck the rock instead of speaking to it. The punishment for this act was that Moses was forbidden from entering the Promised Land. In this passage, Moses recounts how he pleaded with God, and God said, “Enough, don’t speak about this to me anymore.”

It may sound harsh, but sometimes when God has decided something, there is no point in us pursuing the thing we want. In His sovereignty He makes the call, and it will always be for our good.

3. David prayed for his son to live

In 2 Samuel 12:15-17 And the LORD afflicted the child that Uriah's wife bore to David, and he became sick. 16 David therefore sought God on behalf of the child. And David fasted and went in and lay all night on the ground. 17 And the elders of his house stood beside him, to raise him from the ground, but he would not, nor did he eat food with them.(ESV)

We know how David committed adultery with Bathsheba and she got pregnant. In order to cover his tracks, he plotted to have Uriah killed in war. David continued with no remorse until confronted by the Prophet Nathan. Though David repented, the consequence was that the son born to Bathsheba was afflicted by God with a severe sickness. David fasted and prayed and pleaded with God. However, seven days later the child died.

David reacted unexpectedly when he got up, washed, anointed himself and ate food that was set before him.