Tanya Marshall   

God’s will, not my will

 “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.  For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened” (Matthew 7:7-8).

 “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the Lord.  (Isaiah 55:8)

I heard a fairly new contemporary Christian song on the radio a few weeks ago.  It’s called “Even If” by the group, Mercy Me.  The main theme is expressed here:

I know You’re able, and I know You can

Save through the fire with Your mighty hand.

But even if You don’t

My hope is You alone.

I know the sorrow, I know the hurt

Would all go away if You’d just say the word.

But even if You don’t

My hope is You alone.

We often face huge trials, disappointments, serious illnesses, deaths, and crises in life.  We pray for healings and resolutions to big problems.  Here’s where the conflict between the two scriptures above becomes apparent.  We’re supposed to ask God for what we want and need, and the Matthew passage implies we’ll get it.  But these song lyrics express a mature faith of one who has chosen to hope in 

God, even if God doesn’t answer our prayers how we’d like.  A mature faith trusts God anyway, and acknowledges the idea in the Isaiah passage.

For some reason this song was a comfort to me.  I don’t understand God’s ways, but I am choosing to trust anyway.

Prayer:  God, help us remember you are with us through all the trials and difficulties of life, even when you don’t choose to heal or resolve or answer.  Help us keep going and keep our hope in you anyway.  Amen.