Not My Will
"Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me. Nevertheless, not my will, but yours, be done." — Luke 22:42, ESV
I love how detailed Luke is in his writing. He gives us a clear, step-by-step account of what unfolded as Jesus journeyed toward the cross. In the passage above, Jesus is in the Garden of Gethsemane, praying. He knows exactly what lies ahead, and through His words, we see His honest and human desire to avoid the suffering that was coming. He asks God to remove the cup—but He doesn’t pause to wait for an answer. Instead, He immediately surrenders: "Not my will, but Yours be done."
When the disciples asked Jesus to teach them how to pray, He said, "Our Father in heaven, hallowed be Your name, Your kingdom come, Your will be done..." (Matthew 6:9-10). There are times in life when we find ourselves in such deep torment, desperation, or hopelessness that all we want is for our own will to be done. In those moments, it can be hard to surrender. But I am so grateful that Jesus was fully human as well as fully divine, and that He understands the emotional and spiritual weight behind the prayers we offer.
Even though we know YHWH only desires the best for us—and that He will withhold no good thing—there are seasons when the journey is simply hard. But Scripture offers us hope: right after Jesus prayed, "Not my will, but Yours be done," an angel appeared from heaven and strengthened Him (Luke 22:43).
Jesus also prepared His disciples for the hard moments ahead. He told them that the hour was coming when they would scatter to their own homes and leave Him alone—but He declared, "Yet I am not alone, for the Father is with me." (John 16:32). And we, too, have that same guarantee. Scripture reminds us: "I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me..." (Galatians 2:20, ESV). We are never alone.
We have access to the same power source—the strength of the living God—to endure whatever lies ahead. Yeshua reminded His disciples that in Him, they would have peace. In this world, we will face tribulation, but He urges us to take heart because He has overcome the world (John 16:33). He has already conquered death, sin, and every force of evil. No matter what Satan throws our way, Yeshua has secured the victory.
So, even in the most difficult moments, we can pray, "Not my will, but Yours be done," knowing that the victory is already ours—because the Conqueror lives within us.
Key Takeaways:
We are never alone when we walk in His will.
Yeshua understands our desire to give up and will provide what we need to endure.
We must remember to trust God and rest in His peace, even when our situation remains unchanged.
Affirmations: Matthew 10:20; Luke 24:32; Ephesians 6:19; Isaiah 55:11
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