Why Do We Pray "If It Be Thy Will" to God?

I hope that you will receive this post in the spirit in which it is intended. I am so grateful for the prayers of so many and I have obviously been thinking a lot about prayer over the past two years. All of this has caused me to ask some questions about prayer. What is it? How does it work? What do we do with unanswered prayers? How do we know what to pray for? Considering all of this reflection, I've asked people when they are praying for Caelan to not pray for his healing by praying "If it be Thy will." The more that I've thought about that type of prayer, the more that I think it makes no sense. I am glad that people are praying, but why would you ask God something and then tack on, "If it be Thy will"? Is that even really a prayer? It sounds like we are saying, "God just do what you were already going to do anyway. I don't want to impose on you. Your will be done."  Does God need our permission to do His will? If we are giving it to Him, does that even qualify as a request? Is this type of prayer even biblical? Are we showing humility and submission to God and His will, or are we really just hedging our bets?

I've decided that I'm not going to ever pray, "If it be Thy will" to God. Here's why: I don't think that God wants us to pray that way. I don't see Jesus praying or telling us to pray for people that way. In the Lord's Prayer (Matt. 6:9-13) Jesus tells us to pray, "Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven."  Yes, we are to pray for God's will to be done. But, that prayer is incredible. Jesus tells us to pray that earth would reflect heaven! That God's Kingdom (His reign and rule) would come upon the earth. That is an all encompassing prayer! When I pray for someone who is sick to be made well, I only have to look at God's will in heaven. Are there sick people in heaven? No. So, I have confidence that God's will in heaven is that no one is sick, therefore, I have permission to pray that God would heal people on earth. Does God always answer that prayer affirmatively? No. But, as far as getting any direction on what to ASK him for, I can get my clues from God's will manifested in heaven. Whether God chooses to express His healing in this life or not is entirely up to Him.

Jesus said in John 6:38-40, Jesus said, "For I have come down from heaven not to do my will but to do the will of him who sent me. And this is the will of him who sent me, that I shall lose none of all that he has given me, but raise them up at the last day. For my Father's will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day."  Jesus came to DO God's will. Jesus preached the Gospel of the Kingdom. He healed the sick, raised the dead, released the captive, gave sight to the blind, hearing to the deaf, cast out demons, and forgave sins. He showed us how to know God. He did so many things and all of them were the will of God. When praying for someone to be saved, do we pray, "If it be Thy will?" If we do, we should not. We should just pray that they believe on Jesus. Not all will believe, but it is God's desire that all men everywhere be saved and come to a knowledge of the truth (1 Tim. 2:4).

When Jesus was in the Garden of Gethsemane, he prayed, "not my will, but yours be done" (Luke 22:42). This was a prayer of surrender to God. Of course, all of us should surrender to God's will on things, but it does not mean that we cannot request things. Jesus just asked that the cup be taken from him! Of course, he knew that this was the reason he came into the world. God's will was done, but Jesus enjoyed the intimacy with the Father to be able to ask.

We are to boldly approach the Throne of Grace to receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need (Heb. 4:16). We are to pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests and always keep on praying for all the saints (Eph. 6:18).  We are to be anxious for nothing, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present our requests to God (Phil. 4:6). We are to pray without ceasing (1 Thess. 5:17).  Even Moses, when faced with the destruction of Israel by God after they had built the golden calf to worship, interceded before God and asked Him to CHANGE His will.  God heard Moses' plea and relented from what He said He was going to do (Exodus 32:9-14). Is not the new covenant more glorious than the old covenant? Don't we have even more access to God than Moses now that we are indwelt by the Holy Spirit (2 Cor. 3:4-18)? Don't we have the Mind of Christ (1 Cor. 2:9-16)?

I don't think that we understand prayer very well. If we are truly intimate with God through the person and work of Jesus, and if Jesus, our advocate, is the only intermediary between us and God, then can't we have enough confidence to come before God and tell Him what we need? Do we have to qualify it? Of course God knows His own mind and He will do His will. But, He invites us to prevail upon Him in prayer like the Persistent Widow (Luke 18:1-8). We should pray and never give up. This actually increases our relationship with Him and the trust that we have in Him.

I think that lots of times we pray "If it be Thy will," because we are trying to hedge our bets and cover ourselves. I think that we don't want to look foolish if the prayer is not answered. But, isn't it better to be a fool for Christ than to maintain our "dignity" and miss out on radically trusting Him for the impossible? I'd rather ask boldly and be denied than not ask at all or maintain some sense of respectablitity. Let my faith be exposed to the winds and waves of uncertainty. I'll trust God enough to take care of all of that.

It is not our job to protect God's reputation. He is God, we are not. If He chooses not to heal, then like David after his son died, we will accept it. But, let us not be in a situation where we refuse to radically trust God for things that we cannot do. Let us remove all of our crutches that keep us from fully trusting Him. Let us boldly approach the Throne of Grace to find help in our time of need.

Thoughts?   And, if you disagree, I don't expect you to take it easy on me because my son is sick. I've been doing the blog thing for some time and I know how to disagree with people amicably. So, no kid gloves, alright? I'm a big boy.  :)

Comments

[Igor Paschuk]

Alan,

Yesterday you preached the best sermon I've heard you preach. I love it when Jesus is lifted up like that. My (and, incidentally, my wife's) favorite passage is Psalms 73:25-26: "Whom have I in heaven but You? And besides You I desire nothing on earth. My heart and my flesh may fail but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever."

You touched upon the subject of God's will when you stated that you will not pray "if it is Your will...". On the surface, it's not difficult to disagree with the statement because it is incomplete. However, I hear what you are saying and I completely agree with you.

There are two wills of God: God's will of decree and God's will of command. God's will of decree is what we commonly refer to as His sovereign will (i.e. "such and such shall come to pass"). God's will of command is what He commands us to do (i.e. "thou shall not steal"). John Piper explains it much better so I'll refer you to his article here:
http://www.desiringgod.org/ResourceLibrary/Sermons/ByDate/2004/179_What_Is_the_Will_of_God_and_How_Do_We_Know_It/

So, in Caelan's case, both wills of God are at work. On the one hand, God's sovereign will is being executed. Sometimes, he reveals His sovereign will (as in prophecies about the second coming or something imminent like the famine prophesied in Acts 11:28, etc.). We cannot know His sovereign will unless it is revealed. Hence we trust His will knowing that "God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who have been called according to His purposes" (Rom. 8:28). On the other hand, God commanded you to pray: "If you abide in me and I in you, ask whatever you will, and it will be done for you" (John 15:7) or "...ask and you will receive..." (John 16:24). In fact, God created the need so that you couldn't help praying for your dear son. The problem occurs when we act as if there is either God's sovereign will (in which case, we become fatalists) or we believe that God's will of command requires us to change what we presume to be God's will. But when we see that the two wills are inseparable we pray correctly, "Our Father... your kingdom come, your will be done... give us this day our daily bread...". We acknowledge His sovereignty, yet we obey His commands to us (and, specifically, to pray to Him in all circustances). Phillippians 2:12-13 puts the two wills together very nicely: "...work out your salvation with fear and trembling; for it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure."

It is not my intent to be "anal" about this because I sincerely believe that you see the issue correctly. However, it is my desire that no one would misinterpret your message and think that somehow we can manipulate God's will. The clarification is important for the sake of your hearers -- not for you personally.

This said, Kristen and I are grieving, repenting, and praying with you because the world is fallen, pain is real, and Christ Jesus is very precious.

May God's grace and peace be with you in Christ Jesus,

Sincerely your brother,
Igor Pashchuk

[Alan Cross]

Igor,

You heard correctly. You are exactly right. We do become fatalistic when we fall on one side or the other. It is God's business what He does and it is our business to pray. We must pray believing, asking boldly. God knows His will and He knows what He is going to do, but He commands us to prevail upon Him in prayer. Why? I don't exactly know. It doesn't all make sense to me. But, I am not going to try and figure it all out. I can live in the mystery, but I cannot live without trusting God.

Thank you for your very well thought out comment. It is exactly what I was hoping for.

[John Stickley]

I've been challenged by this recently as well, Alan, as I was reading through some of the healings Jesus performed in Matthew 8 and 9 and thinking over them. The common element was faith, either of the healed or of those caring for them seeking their healing.

It made me wonder if our wishy-washy prayers demonstrate lack of faith, and challenged me, as you have, to pray boldly with real belief.

Thanks for sharing this.

[Igor Pashchuk]

Alan,

I completely agree with you about the fact that our faith is too small -- that's why, for example, we prefix our requests with "if it be Thy will..." Jesus reprimanded His disciples a number of times because they did not believe and were satisfied with too little. Once we truly grasp God's sovereignty and power, we would recognize that it is not much to ask God to move mountains.

I don't think that the phrase "if it be Thy will" itself is inconsistent with how we are to pray. However, I do believe that the condition of our hearts is the problem. We latch onto phrases and words and methods thinking that they will keep us safe and get God to do what we want Him to. There is a great mystery in trembling in the presence of the Almighty God who is an all-consuming fire and yet boldly petitioning Him on the merit of Jesus Christ alone.

Igor

[Kevin Bussey]

Alan,

I'm praying in agreement with you that Caelan wil be healed period. I believe we are to go to God boldly and I am praying that way. It is not my job to determine what God does. It is my job as a believer to pray boldly. My prayers are with you.

[Alyce Faulkner]

Alan, I might have disagreed with you 18 months ago.
I've spent the last 18 months praying each week with 6 people, including my husband, pastor and sister-in-law. One of the group has such faith, it challenged me and encouraged me to ask and believe.
So simple, so Biblical-how did I forget this? Thank God he brought me back to the prayer of faith.
We continue to pray for you and your family.

[Deborah Bradfield]

Alan,
We have not met but I know you through Nathan and Stephanie Bradfield,(Nathan is my oldest son). We heard about your son, Caelan through them. We have asked for prayer for Caelan through the email prayer chain at our church (Peachtree Christian Fellowship) in Peachtree City GA, (just south of the Atlanta airport). You may not know any of us but that does not matter. The Lord knows you and He knows us so we are connected through Him. Prayer knows NO boundaries and we want you and your family to know we are praying for a miraclous and deligently sought-after invasion of heaven to earth for your adorable little son. We stand along side you and speak and declare life, wellness, and wholeness into his entire being. We join you in asking our Father God to touch him and heal him completely! We all are warriors in the faith and we unite with you on behalf of your son. May the prayer covering of many believers strengthen you as the Lord Almighty holds Caelan and each of you securely in His hand. He is a good God and He has countless good things in heaven for those who believe. We stand with you and pray the destiny God has for Caelan to rise up and unfold day after day after day showing the goodness of the Lord in his life!
I look forward to meeting you all one day.
In the Lord's awesome love,
Deborah Bradfield

[Kevin]

I remember reading a book by Andrew Murray called With Christ in the School of Prayer. He said that "if it be your will" was a cop-out; a way to save face for both us and God. It made a lot of sense, and I have stopped using that phrase in my prayers. I think we should just ask God and let Him answer.

[John]

Alan,

I only know you through reading your blog. I just want you to know that I am praying for complete healing for Caelan, as well as peace and comfort for your entire family. I have prayed for over 40 years now and have run the spectrum of prayer, starting with the "soda machine" model (put in a prayer, press the button, and out pops your answer) and moving eventually to the other extreme (You are going to do Your will no matter what, so I'll just pray "Your will be done"). Although I have a long way to go in my understanding of prayer, I have learned that both extremes are incorrect. God does not exist to grant my wishes and make my life what I want it to be. Nor is He a fatalistic God that could care less what I ask for. I agree it is a mystery, just as many doctrines of the Bible are. I just work on the things I can understand and take the others by faith and keep asking for understanding into everything else.

God is in control of all, and He knows all. If I am to pray honestly, I need to pray for everything that is on my heart. God already know my heart, so to do less would be dishonest. I know the answers won't always be "yes", but I keep on asking if it is on my heart. God has changed both my circumstances and my heart over the years. Neither, I believe, would have happened without honest prayer. God desires our prayers and comands us to do it. In my private worship, I have to be honest.

May God continue to bless you and your family.

John

[Laura]

I have chewed on this lately in light of your teachings and even had a passionate dialog with friends about it Sunday evening after life group. Our God is an awesome God and I agree that we have to pray believing but as you said in your message - our hope is not in the prayer, our hope is in God "who is able to do immeasurably more than we can actually think or ask or imagine". I responded to a friend recently in this way:

I still maintain that in the area of healing, I must always believe that God can and wants to heal (whether on earth or perfectly in heaven). In Heaven, everyone is healed so I AM praying "as it is in heaven". If anyone I love is sick, I will always pray for healing. God's will WILL be done, but we must believe for "without faith it is impossible to please him". "Faith is the evidence of things not seen" and I can't see one's healing but I must always believe. Call it crazy, and I KNOW God's will WILL be done and submit to that but I will always pray for healing.

Crazy for Jesus,
Laura

p.s. for those that missed the message, it can be found at www.gatewaybaptist.com, click on 'audio downloads.'

[Bart Barber]

Alan,

I, too, believe in praying boldly and without excessive qualification. In the study of God's Word I try to measure my desires against God's commands and shape them according to His will. In prayer I try to express my desires clearly and without qualification to God. In waiting and watching, I try to have the faith of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego: God is able to do what I have asked, but even if He does not, I will yet cling to Him and to Him alone.

In my opinion, we ought not to worry about taking risks in prayer. So what if I end up looking foolish (He prayed for his friend's son to be healed, but he wasn't...what a spiritual weakling, dufus, etc.!)? Prayer is not about making me look good. I must pray because I am indeed a spiritual weakling and dufus. I pray to implore for help that I cannot provide to myself. I pray because I am dependent. The risks are there in life no matter how I pray...I might as well pray honestly and boldly.

Rest assured, I am praying simply that God would heal Caelan. And I am not doing so alone.

[Doug]

Alan,
Let me add my recommendation to Kevin's regarding the classic, "With Christ in the School of Prayer" by Andrew Murry. I am not sure if it is still in print, but I am sure it can be found in a library. Under the "Tenth Lesson: Prayer Must Be Definite" (Mt. 10:51; Luke 18:41)he says of tacking on "if it be your will": "It is often spiritual sloth that, under the appearance of humility, professes to have no will, because it fears the trouble of searching out the will of God, or, when found, the struggle of claiming it in faith." The simple truthfulness of this statement changed forever the way I pray.
God bless!

[Kevin]

Doug,
I'm sure Murray's book can be found all over the internet on places like half.com.

[Adrianne Jones]

Hello, question I was taught that coming boldly to the thrown, believing that we will recieve his perfect will for us when we ask, that we can pray with authority, using the authority that is inside of us.. I prayed for my husbands healing and spoke Gods healing word over him from Isaiah and anointed him with oil I bound up the spirit of sickness on him and loosed forth Gods healing and promises in his word then I said " I command you Lord to do as you promised in your word, my husband stopped the prayer to apologize for me to God and said I was being disrespectful... Hmmm mabey wrong in my approach but only because of the way I was taught to pray but not disprespectful. I really didnt even mean to say it like that but it came out like that due to overwork and tiredness, but I cant seem to clear up the misunderstanding . any good scriptures you can give me to learn from and to pass on... Thank you
In Jesus name and in his service

[pypewhassak]

The answer to the question of Life, the Universe, and Everything is...

Four day work week,
Two ply toilet paper!

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[Drena Hicks]

What about when Paul sought the Lord thrice to remove the thorn in his flesh and it was not done.(2Cor12:8-9) Was it not done because of paul's lack of faith or it was not done because it was not God's will? We are taught through the word "asked and it shall be given".Yet, it is still "if the Lord will,we shall live and do this or that.(James 4:15) While I believe that we should pray with faith and belief as the Bible states, however, it is still "if the Lord will". Moses desired to see beyond the Jordan and prayed with exaltation and was denied.(Deut.18:24-25)"God knows what we needs before we even ask".God looketh on the heart;(1Sam.16:7 we know he does because of all the things that David had done it was stated that "David was a man after God's own heart". "The eyes of the Lord run to and fro thoughout the whole earth to show himself strong in the behalf of those whose heart is perfect toward him"(2Chron.16:9). Our lives are in the will of God as "he knows the number of hairs on our head". "All sickness is not unto death" but some are,if it is the Lord's will.(All scripture in quotation can be found in the Bible).

I pray that your son's is well, Drena