Yet Not What I Want, But What You Want
Dear Brothers and Sisters,
In my previous encouragement, I highlighted the importance of never giving up in praying and trusting in the Lord with all your needs, even when it seems that God is silent to your pleas.
Remember how Jesus prayed, “My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from me; yet not what I want but what you want.”
“Yet not what I want, but what You want.” How beautiful is that? That we come to Daddy and say, “Please, I really need this…” or “I really want that…” yet, “not what I want, but what You want.”
To pray like this, with a posture of humble surrender, is indeed beautiful and pleasing to the Lord. But it is not always easy. I understand—we want what we want. However, as our Father, God knows what is best for us.
Today I would like to encourage you by opening your heart to Luke 5:1–11. In this Gospel passage, we can see four key characteristics:
Obedience: Jesus told Simon, “Put out into the deep water and let down your nets for a catch.” Simon answered, “Master, we have worked all night long but have caught nothing. Yet if you say so, I will let down the nets.”
How can we apply this today? When Jesus asks something of us through His Word, the teachings of the Church, or the promptings of the Holy Spirit, we can say, “Lord, I may not understand, but if You say so, I will.” Obedience means trusting Jesus enough to follow His will, even when we cannot see the outcome.
Humility: “But when Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus’ knees, saying, ‘Go away from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man!’”
How can we apply this today? Like Peter, we can humbly recognize that we need God and that we cannot do everything on our own. We can come before Jesus honestly, acknowledge our weaknesses and sins, and allow Him to work in our lives rather than trying to do everything our own way.
Surrender: Simon Peter fell to his knees before Jesus. In other words, his heart was open to the holy will of God. When we are faced with hardship and struggles in our lives, where is our heart? Are we willing to surrender our own will and open our hearts to what God is asking of us?
Acceptance: “They left everything and followed Him.” We are called to do likewise: to put aside our selfishness, gossip, and self-pride, and then turn to Jesus and say, “Here I am. I will follow
You!”
God bless you.
