Nevertheless (Pt.2)

(Part 2) 

“When He had come down from the mountain, great multitudes followed Him. And behold, a leper came and worshiped Him, saying, “Lord, if You are willing, You can make me clean.” Then Jesus put out His hand and touched him, saying, “I am willing; be cleansed.” Immediately his leprosy was cleansed.”-Matthew 8:1-3

Sometimes we struggle so much with believing that He is able that we leave no room to address His will. The leper that approached Jesus that day, was not wrestling with Jesus’ ability to heal. His question was focused on Jesus’ willingness to heal. Was it in keeping with God’s redemptive purpose? The man knew it was possible, but was it God’s will? Jesus, in answering the man, communicated the will of God to him.

At the Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus took His prayer a little further; from the realm of what is possible to the question of God’s will. “Nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will.”-Matthew 26:39

The word “Nevertheless” means: in spite of. Jesus was saying, “In spite of what I know God can do, I am going to pray for His will to be done.” Nevertheless prayers are prayers that go beyond what God is capable of doing to seeing the will of God accomplished. 

Nevertheless prayers recognize that God is capable of answering the prayer that you prayed, but in spite of how much you want it to turn our for your benefit, you understand that God knows the big picture and that His greater redemptive purpose for all of mankind is paramount. 

Because as much as we would like it, God’s will does not always line up with our will. That is where our disillusionment and disappointment come from and why our confidence has been shaken when it comes to prayer. We are not following the instruction of 1 John 5:14-15:

“Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him.”

If you are lacking confidence in your prayer life, perhaps it is because you are praying possible prayers, but not going the extra distance. You’ve not gone as far as to pray nevertheless, not my will but yours be done. 

Can I let you in on a little secret? When you pray “nevertheless” that is not the magic word allowing God to move ahead with His plans. He doesn’t need our approval. His will is going to be done. The nevertheless is for you. It is your way of communicating to God that you are willing to set aside your will to see His greater will accomplished. 

Scott Burr

Dayspring Community Church