Instead of telling God how to be God…I must bring my prayers to Him with an open hand: “God, here’s the situation. It’s out of my control, but I know you are sovereign. I’m inviting you into the mess, and I’m asking you to resolve this in a way which fulfills your plans and desires, and brings glory to you!”
As Jesus said in Matthew 6:10, “Your will be done on earth, as it is in heaven!”
Today I choose not only to bring my needs to God, but also to trust Him with the outcome. He is wise, loving, and sovereign…and I must trust Him to be God.
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Scripture
Jeremiah 14:11-12
The LORD said to me: “Do not pray for the welfare of this people. Though they fast, I will not hear their cry, and though they offer burnt offering and grain offering, I will not accept them. But I will consume them by the sword, by famine, and by pestilence.”
Observation
What a curious instruction God gives in Jeremiah 14:11 – “Do not pray for the welfare of this people!”
Why would God not want him to pray for them? What reason could God have for not wanting the prophet to pray God’s blessing on them?! Quite simply, God didn’t want Jeremiah praying prayer that were misaligned with His plan. God’s desire was not simply to bless them here on earth: He wanted to draw their hearts back to Him, so that their eternal future could be blessed.
Application
As I navigate situations in life, I often find myself praying for specific outcomes: “God, bless that person in this way.” Or maybe: “God, you see the healing needed in this situation…and here’s how you should heal them.” Or sometimes: “God, you see the problem over here…and here’s how you should fix it.”
The problem with praying this kind of prayer, is that I’m going beyond identifying the need and asking for God’s help: I’ve now begun to insert my own ideas, thoughts, and plans into the situation–because clearly, I understand the situation fully and I understand exactly how it should be handled…
Instead of telling God how to be God…I must bring my prayers to Him with an open hand: “God, here’s the situation. It’s out of my control, but I know you are sovereign. I’m inviting you into the mess, and I’m asking you to resolve this in a way which fulfills your plans and desires, and brings glory to you!”
As Jesus said in Matthew 6:10, “Your will be done on earth, as it is in heaven!”
Today I choose not only to bring my needs to God, but also to trust Him with the outcome. He is wise, loving, and sovereign…and I must trust Him to be God.
Prayer
God, forgive me for trying to tell you how to do your job! I invite you today into the mess of each situation that I navigate this week. May your plans be accomplished, and may you receive glory as you draw hearts to you! I trust you, and I choose to follow you instead of trying to talk you into following me.
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