Your will be done, but here's what I want...

"You ask but do not receive, because you asked wrongly..."

James 4:3

 

Two separate reflections on this reading today mentioned the same point, so it's worth repeating here too!  How do we pray "wrongly?" In thinking our way is the only way the prayer should be answered.  In other words, following Jesus' example in the Garden is the "right" way.  Jesus added to his prayer of petition, "Not mine, but Your will be done." By giving God the final decision, we are praying more "rightly," if that is a proper term.  It sure can be hard to add that little disclaimer to our prayer.  When a loved one is suffering, when a job is desperately needed, when a child is teetering on the brink, it's hard to give God the reigns to do whatever, isn't it?  How are we supposed to live with whatever? Ultimately, though, God knows best. By giving God the "Your will, not mine," we give God the go-ahead to surprise us and work things out, not with our limited scope, but perhaps much better! We never want to limit God to just doing what we can imagine when God's imagination is so much more splendid!  Today, in our prayers of petition, let's give God the whole reigns.  Let's finish our prayers with "Your will be done," and see how exciting that ends up!  Love, heidi