“Father, if you are willing, take this cup away from me—nevertheless, not my will, but yours, be done.” – Luke 22:42

What is faith? I’ve heard a lot of definitions over the years, and many of them are excellent. I’ve never tried to create a definition of my own because I think it is too rich and too deep a concept for me to put into simple words. The most concise biblical definition we have is Hebrews 11:1 – “Now faith is the reality of what is hoped for, the proof of what is not seen.” But even though that definition seems simple, the writer of Hebrews goes on for an entire chapter explaining what exactly he means by those words.

One of the best ways to understand a concept is to understand what it is not. When it comes to our relationship with God, faith is not confidence that God will do whatever you ask of him. Though this is often taught as faith, I would argue it is sinfulness. Selwyn Hughes calls it the sin of “demandingness.” This is the sin of insisting that our will be fulfilled. Demandingness is a deep-rooted sin that can often give birth to many others. True faith in God actually rests on the opposite end of the spectrum. Faith trusts him even when we do not see any of our requests fulfilled. Faith knows that God always has a better plan. Faith prays, just like Jesus did, “Father, I desire your will above everything else.”

Heavenly Father, You know the desires of our hearts. So, we ask that You would fulfill every desire that aligns with Your will while denying any request that goes against Your perfect plan for our lives. Ultimately we do not desire our will, but Yours, be done.

In Christ’s Service,

Pastor Shane Cannon