Then he said to them, “My soul is very sorrowful, even to death; remain here, and watch with me.” 39 And going a little farther he fell on his face and prayed, saying, “My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will.”

Matthew 26:38-39

“Not as I will, but as you will.” Without this additional phrase, there would only be pride and selfishness in Christ’s prayer. Instead, there is humility and submission.

When we pray, how many of our prayers are covered with requests while the “not as I will, but as you will” is glaringly absent? We want only what we want. We do not want God’s will to be accomplished. Yes, we are taught to “make our requests known to God” (Php. 4:6), but we are also taught to “humble yourselves before the Lord” (James 4:10). We should never exclude humility from supplication.

Therefore, pray for your friend’s healing, for that job promotion, or for your child to be protected from harm while away at school, but also pray that God’s will be done, not yours. In this way, you yield to God’s sovereignty over both your situation and your life. Embrace the suffering, if necessary. Be courageous enough today to end your prayers with “nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will.” Refuse to impose yourself on God. Do not stand far off. If it be His will, follow Him into the thick darkness, for it is better to be with God in suffering than to be without him in pleasure. (Ex. 20:21; Luke 8:14)