W.I.L.L.

Allow me to take out my frustration :P

Sorry! I just can't say amen and agree to prayers like these:
God, I pray that you will help me pass my exams. But if it your WILL that I fail, please help me with what comes after...
God, I pray that you will heal this person. But if it's your WILL to take him home, so let it be...
God, I pray that you will bless this business of mine, but if it's your WILL otherwise, let it be done...

I used to pray like that too (and I am ashamed of that). Now I think back and just laugh at how silly I was, and feel bad for having so little faith, bringing God down to my level of faith limited by fears and doubts instead of lifting my situations up to His level.

A friend once said to me in a casual conversation about exams that she prayed just like the above, but when she found out she passed the exam, she praised God. My automatic response
was: "Pray and believe in passing your exams. Next time, take out the failing part, no 'but' and just believe and press in for a pass, with flying colours."

She said: "I just want God's WILL to be done..."

I snapped (sorry about that :P ): "What's God's WILL? His WILL is that He wants us to prosper, it is not part of His plan to harm us in anyway. Do you think He wants you to fail your exams? ABSOLUTELY NOT!" Before I could continue, our conversation was interrupted by something, and it ended there.

Another friend said that she just can't remove the doubt when she prays for healing, and she prayed just like the above...I just had to say something :P which I did, paraphrasing: "Prayers that move mountains are those prayed with absolute faith in the recipient of the prayers. Pray and totally trust God to come through for us in a childlike manner, like how a kid asks his dad to do something knowing and totally believing that it will surely be done, no 'but'".

Yes, we are human beings and we are all still learning to remove doubt in praying. Me too. However, that has got to change! How do you think God feels when He hears prayers like that from the children whom He loves so dearly and sacrificed His only Son for? It's like having a genuine friend you loved walk up to you and say: "I know you love me and only want the best for me. But if you want to give me second best or worse, I accept that too!"...What an insult!

Why do we use God's WILL as an excuse or something to blame on when we didn't put in our best efforts in studies or work, and still want to pass with distinction, knowing we didn't work for it?

Why do we use God's WILL as an escape route from acknowleding how self-insufficient or lazy or not diligent we are and changing ourselves to be better instead? (especially when we want to make God give in to our ways instead of living out His WILL)

Why do we use God's WILL as a cover up for our lack of faith?

Why do we say that God is good all the time and yet accept second best as God's WILL?

*breath*

I use to belittle God too. And He let me know how He felt about that...I don't want you to have to go through that. It's really unpleasant. Let m lesson be yours, minus the painful part :P

Know that His WILL is this - that we shall all be shaped to be in His likeness; that He wants no one to perish, and His plans are to prosper us, not to harm us in any way. This is what He wants - to heal us, to restore, to provide for us, to bless us, love us, care for us, and to give us the BEST! To give us Him. His WILL is what He wants to do in our lives. Get it?

..ok, I think I am less frustrated now. LOL