If something is really God's will, then would we really feel so sad/confused/hurt by it?

In my experience, this seems to be a common question asked in the exploration of what exactly God's will is. We have this misconception that God's will should avoid pain. It should be smooth because it's God's will, right?

The truth is no. God's will isn't always daisies and rainbows. It can be tough and grueling. It can be the exact opposite of what you think you want and sometimes that's really hard to handle.

In Matthew 26:39, it says "Going a little farther, he fell with his face to the ground and prayed, 'My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will.'"

This is Jesus, the King of Kings, the Lord of Lords, lying face down, crying out to God about God's will. He's crying out because of the burden that He is about to take on Himself. He is about to be hung on a cross with all the sin and shame of the world placed on Him, completely separating Him from God. If you read earlier in scripture, it even says that Jesus was sweating blood because of the stress brought on by the situation.

However, the end of the scripture is what really gets me; it's the part that's truly powerful. Jesus says, "not as I will, but as You will." How amazing of a statement is that? Sure God, I'll take the weight of the world on my sinless shoulders and pay the price for the debt that this world has accumulated. Yes Lord, even though this is not what I would want to do, I will do as you you have asked. Yes Father, while this will cause severe pain, I will submit to your perfect and holy will. Not as I will, but as You will.

Jesus knew what God's will was. He knew what He had to do. He knew he had to choose the painful, less desirable path. Jesus had all power to just say no. He had all the power to choose not to die on the cross. He could've just chosen not to go through with it. However, if He had, where would that leave us? What would our lives look like?

Jesus dying on the cross had a purpose. It had a greater good. It provided all of humanity the ability to have a relationship with the Lord. It provided us with forgiveness and righteousness. It set us free from the bondage of sin. It made us pure.

There are so many times I look at my life and I ask God why He's asking me to do something. There are so many times where I question His sovereign will. But the truth is, I can't see the big picture. When Jesus died on the cross, while Jesus Himself knew what was to come, his friends and family couldn't see the big picture. They were probably questioning God and why God would allow such a thing to happen. Why would God allow the crucifixion of Jesus Christ, His only Son? What they didn't know or understand was that Jesus dying on the cross would save all of humanity. The truth is I often feel like Jesus's friends and family when God asks me to do something in my own life. I really don't know what God's will in my own life will eventually lead to. I don't know what things He has in store for me down the road after I go through a time of difficulty and suffering.

We are given such a narrow view of life. We only see the here and now. We only see the pain and the hurt that we are currently experiencing because we can't see the blessing that's in store.

There is a song titled "Thy Will" by Hillary Scott. I think this song encompasses what I'm trying to say really well. The first verse has a line in it that says, "I may never understand that my broken heart is a part of your plan." And then in the second verse it has a line that says, "I know You're good, but this don't feel good right now."

Sometimes heartbreak is a part of God's plan. Sometimes it's used to get us to where we need to be. But even when we are experiencing that heartbreak, God is still good. He is still sovereign and His will is still perfect. The truth is that it won't feel good. It's going to hurt... a lot. But despite that not-so-good feeling, the God we serve is so, so good. I think in those moments, when we're hurting and confused and questioning God, we have to remind ourselves that we can't see or know everything. We are not capable of seeing the outcome, but God is. God knows what will be best for us in the end, even if it has to hurt in the here and now. If we always got what we wanted, we would miss out on so many of the amazing things that the Lord has in store for us if we would just let go of our own agenda and give complete control to God.

Isaiah 55:8-9 “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the Lord. “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts."