Many people are confused about why it is important to pray.  There is a misconception that when we pray we can bend God’s will to ours.  Even if it goes unspoken this seems to be the manner in which many people approach God.

Somewhere in their mind they have created an idea of what could be or perhaps what should be.  Then they go to God and ask him to make it happen.  This presupposes that we know better than God.

Look at a few more words spoken by Jesus as he taught the Disciples how to pray.

Matthew 6:10…Your kingdom come.  Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. (NKJV)

In just a few short verses we see that God is ruler of his own kingdom and that he has a plan that originates in heaven.  Jesus instructs the Disciples to pray for God’s plan to become a reality here on Earth.

One purpose of prayer is not to bend God’s will to ours but for us to bend our will to his.  If we are going to pray in the manner that God wants then we must embrace God’s independent authority over his creation.  He sees what we cannot see and knows what we do not know.

Ask God today to create in you a heart that will surrender to his plans.  Also, begin praying that God’s plans will come to pass and begin asking how you fit into those plans.

As well intentioned as we might be we should never put our plans ahead of God’s plans.

If you would like us to pray with you or for you, take a moment and write in the comments below some ways that you have resisted God’s plans.