THY WILL BE DONE

“Thy will be done.”

Four words that roll righteously off the tongue. We pray those words, we write those words, we encourage others to accept those words. But do we really mean them?

Between late 2021 and early 2022, those four words were my constant prayer. The Lord brought me face-to-face with the uncertainty of life. One second, I was making plans to move and the next, my husband was facing death. While friends and family offered prayers and support, I was confronted with emotions pushing me toward panic.

God’s word and prayer became my lifeline. From trusting “unseen footprints” (Psalm 77:19) to “trust[ing] the Lord with all my heart” (Prov. 3:5a), I learned to take one step at a time, one moment at a time, resting in my Sovereign Lord. Since then, “Thy will be done” is sprinkled throughout my prayer journal.

However, there are times when trusting God isn’t easy, especially when doubt creeps in, questioning whether he really knows best. For weeks, I prayed that God would change my husband’s heart. Carey disliked the size of our house from day one. He only agreed to purchase it because of the small mortgage and interest rate. While I agreed the house was small, I loved the big backyard, the trees, and the location.

Day after day as I prayed, soaking in the beauty of the yard, God used his word to change my heart, not my husband’s. A theme emerged from my Bible reading — trust. Many familiar passages appeared, weaving themselves into every fabric of my life:

• “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and do not rely on your own understanding. Acknowledge him in all your ways, and he will make your paths straight” (Proverbs 3:5-6 NET).
• “You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you” (Isaiah 26:3 ESV).
• “I will lie down and sleep peacefully, for you, Lord, make me safe and secure” (Psalm 4:8 NET).
• “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28 NET).

 
“Okay, Lord, I surrender. Thy will be done.”

Two days after placing our house on the market, Carey admitted he was a little anxious.

“I’m wondering if we’ve made the right decision.”

“Well, I’m just praying that God’s will be done for us. He knows what’s best.”

As soon as I said “best,” our agent called. Someone offered far and above what we’d asked for the house. Carey and I were on the verge of thankful tears.

We officially sold the house two days ago. We will close on a new house in a few days.

Only God knows our future. Only God is worthy of our trust.

“But I trust in you, O Lord! I declare ‘You are my God!’ You determine my destiny” (Psalm 31:14-15a).

Are you exhausted with life? Are you wondering where God is? Have you cried out without hearing an answer? It’s time to turn your whole self over to him and trust him completely.

“Trust (rely upon for help and protection) in the Lord with all your heart (mind, emotions, and will), and do not rely on your own understanding (human wisdom). Acknowledge him (know him with a mental awareness of who God is and the consequential submission to his lordship) in all your ways (your course of life, actions, and undertakings), and he will make your paths straight (to make the way free from obstacles)” (Prov. 3:5-6 paraphrased from the NET).

May God’s will be done in your life.