One of the most powerful steps that you can ever take in your discipleship journey is to submit your will to God’s will. We often rejoice in the fact that we know that God has a better plan for our lives than we could ever have for ourselves, but when it comes time to submit, we typically try to hold onto our own will. The idea of relinquishing our own will so we can fully embrace the will of God is scary. After all, we usually spend years carefully crafting our goals, dreams, and ambitions.
It’s important that we remember that God has already gone ahead of us into our futures. He has made a clear path for us, and He only wants us to follow it. When we choose to hold onto our own wills, we deprive ourselves of the blessings that He has prepared for us. Today, ask God to help you surrender Your will to His. Following the example of Christ and other heroes from the Bible can put us in position to embrace everything that God has for us.
Pray These Verses
Matthew 16:24-26 (NIV)
Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it. What good will it be for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul? Or what can anyone give in exchange for their soul?”
Psalms 24:4-5 (NIV)
Show me your ways, Lord, teach me your paths. Guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my Savior, and my hope is in you all day long.
Luke 22:42-43 (NIV)
“Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done.” An angel from heaven appeared to him and strengthened him.
Pray This Prayer
Heavenly Father, I know that You want me to surrender my will to Yours. It’s not because You don’t want me to fulfill my own goals, but it’s because Your goals and plans for my life are greater than anything that I could have ever dreamt of for myself. Give me the strength to let go of my own plans so I can embrace everything that You have for me. Today I declare that I will no longer seek my own will, but I want Your will to be done in my life. Today, I deny myself so I can take up my cross and follow you relentlessly. In Christ’s name, Amen.
Thank God
Heavenly Father, thank You for having a beautiful plan for my life. Thank You for wanting to bless me beyond my wildest imagination. Most of all, thank You for being patient with me when I try so hard to hang onto my own plan. In Christ’s name, Amen.