Devotion - Monday May 4 - Aligning Our Heart’s with God’s Will

In Matthew 16, Jesus asks His disciples, “Who do you say that I am?” Peter replies, “You are the Christ, the Son of the Living God.” Following the wonderful exchange between Jesus and Peter, Matthew tells us that…

From that time Jesus began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised. (Matthew 16:21 ESV) 

Peter, upon hearing this gives Jesus some earthly, even demonic counsel:

And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him, saying, “Far be it from you, Lord! This shall never happen to you.” But he turned and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a hindrance to me. For you are not setting your mind on the things of God, but on the things of man.” (Matthew 16:22–23 ESV)

Wow. 

Peter loves Jesus. His motive for this statement was the desire of his heart– that Jesus would not suffer and be put to death. The contention is that Peter was coming from a fleshly mindset that was opposed to the will of God.

We are so much like Peter. Mixed in with our Spirit-lead desires are our fleshly desires.  Our desires, like in Peter’s case, may not be evil in essence but the may very well be misaligned with the will of God, which always leads to the greater good.

Contrast the desires of Jesus while agonizing over His impending suffering and death on the cross. Jesus, in his humanity asks the Father if there is any other way – but He yields to the will of God, trusting that the Father’s desire would result in the greatest good. Jesus responds by saying, “Nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will.” (Matthew 26:39 ESV)

Does your prayer life reflect this? Are you willing to accept God’s will even if it is opposed to your hopes, dreams and desires? 

When you wrestle with this, what aspect of His nature and Word are you not believing or trusting in?