Episode Transcript
We don't trust that God wants what's good for us. We think our will is better than God's. This is what got us in trouble in the first place. And so the entire book, the entire Bible, is proof God's will can be trusted. Where was it violated? Genesis three. Where was it recovered? Genesis three. What requirements did God put on Adam and Eve to restore the relationship they had broken?
God put no requirements on them. He says, “You know what? I will take on all the shame. I will take on all of the pain, and what you failed to do, which was to obey me, I will make sure the son obeys on your behalf, and I will give it to you all by grace.” And then he says, “Can you trust my will now? You didn't the first time. You destroyed the world. You destroyed my relationship with you. It doesn't work! Now, do you trust my will?” And then he gives you thousands upon thousands of stories and years to say, “I'm trustworthy. I'm trustworthy. I'm trustworthy. You want me to be glorified. You want to be satisfied in me.”
That leads us to our third point: that our ultimate desire and prayer should be to see our spiritual development and not our safety and satisfaction. Do you know why I can take a lot of confidence in that? Because Jesus warns his disciples, “Hey, by the way, follow me. Ask whatever you need in my name, and I will give it to you.” After that, he says, “Now you're going to suffer, and most of you are going to die.” I don't think Jesus has our comfort and safety in mind when he says, “Ask for what you need.” As Paul says, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me,” every disciple except for John was brutally murdered. Was it because they failed to pray? No.
Even as we think about Paul and his infirmities, he said, “Lord, take this from me!” three times. It's okay. There's nothing wrong with asking the father that. But what did Paul say? “But father, if it's not your will, I understand.” And Jesus Christ responds and says, “Paul, my grace - it's sufficient for you. For in your weakness, you are made strong.” It's there that Paul found satisfaction in Jesus and said, “God be praised. To God be the glory.” Church, I'm not telling you that you can't take your infirmities, struggles, pains, sorrows, and discomforts to the father. He says to cast all your cares upon him, for he cares for you.
Father, I'm hurting. My heart longs for this thing, and I'm not getting it. What am I to do? And then what does he say? “I hear you, and I will give you exactly what you need.”
