Love finds peace (pt2)

It’s in this prayer – there lies peace,

“Thy will not mine be done.”

This all started last week in a series about beating back a trio of  negative voices.  The last negative voice for me to defeat was the one that shouted, “You’re going to fail” (here)

There was only one way to silence that one – and it was to guarantee success.

I know. Good luck with that.

But it is possible to guarantee the best outcome in any situation.

Really.

The number of steps I’m about to write is an inexact one right now because – well – this is my thing with God. I’ve never read it anywhere, nor been told it. It’s just something that through prayer – during a very critical time – he showed me.

It’s always been there in Scripture.

I’m not inventing new theology.

That‘s called heresy.

This is just a scriptural thing that I noticed – and prayed about – and studied – and tried – and it works.

So just in case anyone wonders why 5 steps turns to 6 –  or gets done in 4 – well – there ya go.

Step One:

I need to have a specific plan or situation in mind when I pray this prayer. Because to make this work I have to have something to lay at Our Lord’s feet – and say, “Hey, I don’t mean to be a bother, but can you take this one?”

It’s not that God needs to know all the specifics – it’s that I do. We do.

It’s like how the Bible says we only need to ask God once for something – and yet we should also ask repeatedly. That one used to confuse me . Am I supposed to ask once – or keep bugging God?

I figured one day that the answer was both. I need to ask once for God – sometimes not even once. I need to ask repeatedly for me – to remember what I’m asking, and who I’m asking, and maybe why.

I could just blanket my whole life with a big “thy will not mine be done” prayer – and I kind of do anyway – but there isn’t a direct peace dividend with the big blankety type prayer.

I don’t know about you but I worry about “things” not “everything”. I mean I get around to worrying about everything eventually – but usually one thing at a time. Since it’s the “one at a time things” that cause the worry – it’s those I need to lay down. Make sense?

So step number one is clearly identifying the sitch, or the plan – the thing.

Step two:

This is really more of a clarification or addendum than a step. But it can’t go without saying. It’s this. I might as well admit to God that I want what I want – that I want my will.

It’s not like he doesn’t know anyway.

It’s like when my mom used to ask who ate the cookies – when the whole time it was common knowledge that she could magically read our minds. I think she liked to see us squirm. God doesn’t so much like the squirming part – but he does like the honesty.

And is it OK to admit to God that I want what I want?

Our Lord did.

But admitting that there’s a way I want things to end up – and asking for just and only that outcome, without the second part of the prayer – the “thy will be done part”? That’s not in the plan.

And there we go – steps 1 and 2 – of 6 – or 5 – or maybe 4. (see above)

I know this works – so stay with me.

If anybody wants me to just spill the bullet points – go ahead and ask in the comments.

I’ll email them to you.

But what’s the fun of that?

Please come back.

There’s more.

In God’s love