Thy Will Be Done: Trusting God in Every Season
Opening Scripture:
“My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will.”
— Matthew 26:39 (ESV)
Garden of Gethsemane
What do you do when God’s will is different from your will?
What do you do when obedience means pain… when surrender means loss… when trusting God means walking a path you didn’t choose?
In one of the most intimate and heart-wrenching moments in Scripture, we find Jesus—alone in the Garden of Gethsemane—praying through anguish. He knew what was coming: betrayal, suffering, and death. And still, He prayed,
“Not my will, but Yours be done.”
This is the prayer of surrender. It is the prayer that every disciple of Jesus must learn to pray.
Jesus Faced the Weight of God’s Will
“Then Jesus went with them to a place called Gethsemane…”
— Matthew 26:36 (ESV)
In Gethsemane, the full weight of the cross settled on Jesus. He was overwhelmed, not just by fear or pain, but by the thought of bearing the sins of the world.
“My soul is very sorrowful, even to death…” (v. 38)
Jesus didn’t pretend everything was fine. He brought His sorrow, His anguish, and His fear before the Father.
There is no shame in wrestling with God’s will. Jesus did.
But in the wrestling, He submitted.
Surrender Doesn’t Mean Weakness—it Means Trust
“My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me…”
“…Nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will.”
— Matthew 26:39 (ESV)
Jesus was honest. He didn’t hide His desire for another way. But He ended His prayer with surrender.
“Nevertheless…”
That one word turns the whole prayer.
Jesus teaches us that surrender is not giving up—it’s giving over.
It’s saying, “God, I don’t want this. But I trust You more than I trust myself.”
God’s Will May Lead Through Suffering—but Always Ends in Glory
“…for the joy that was set before him endured the cross…”
— Hebrews 12:2 (ESV)
Jesus went to the cross not because it was easy, but because it was God’s will—and because it was the only way to save us.
God’s will isn’t always painless, but it is always purposeful.
- The cross was painful—but it purchased salvation.
- The tomb was dark—but it led to resurrection.
- The garden was full of sorrow—but it gave way to victory.
Sometimes we want the resurrection without the cross, the reward without the obedience. But Jesus teaches us: the path to glory goes through surrender.
Surrender Strengthens Our Souls
“And there appeared to him an angel from heaven, strengthening him.”
— Luke 22:43 (ESV)
God did not remove the cup—but He gave Jesus the strength to drink it.
When we pray, “Thy will be done,” we don’t just receive direction—we receive divine strength.
You may be walking through:
- A job loss
- A diagnosis
- A broken relationship
- A time of great uncertainty
Surrender your will to God—and He will meet you with the strength to walk the path He sets before you.
God’s Will for You Begins at the Cross
“For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.”
— Matthew 16:25 (ESV)
If you’ve never surrendered your life to Jesus, that’s where it begins.
God’s ultimate will is that you be saved, that you be forgiven, and that you have eternal life through Christ.
Jesus surrendered so you could be set free. He drank the cup so you wouldn’t have to.
Today, you can say, “Lord, not my will, but Yours,” and find life everlasting in Him.
Closing Scripture:
“Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.”
— Matthew 6:10 (ESV)
This was not just part of the Lord’s Prayer—it was the Lord’s way of life. And now it must be ours.
Closing Prayer
Heavenly Father,
We come to You today with open hands and open hearts. We confess that Your ways are higher than ours, and Your plans are better, even when we don’t understand.
Teach us to pray as Jesus prayed—not my will, but Yours be done.
Give us the courage to trust You in the garden of sorrow, the strength to follow You on the road of obedience, and the faith to believe that resurrection is coming.
Lord, for those struggling to let go—for those afraid of what surrender means—surround them with peace.
Remind us that You are good, that You are near, and that in Your will is our greatest hope.
We love You, we trust You, and we surrender again today.
In Jesus’ name we pray,
Amen.