A friend of mine recently sent me a link to the song Thy Will by Hillary Scott & The Scott Family. Both of us were struggling at the time with health issues. The song was relatable to me because I was dealing with my physical pain and the emotional impact it had on me. Upon listening to the song, I was moved by the artist’s candor as she set her heart’s cry to God to music. Just this week, I happened to read about the artist and the song a bit more. Hillary Scott is with the country band Lady Antebellum and was inspired to write this song on the heels of a devastating experience with miscarriage.
As I have listened to the song over and again since my friend sent me the link, I have come into a deeper realization that as Christians, we sometimes feel guilty when we are upset, angry or confused by our circumstances. We somehow feel that we have to put on a face that doesn’t ever indicate hurt or disappointment for fear of reprisal by those who may call our faith into question. However, in Luke 22, when Jesus was praying in the Garden of Gethsemane the night before He was to be crucified, He cried out to His Heavenly Father for release and relief from the pain that loomed large.
“Father, if you are willing, please take this cup of suffering away from me. Yet I want your will to be done, not mine.” – Luke 22:42 NLT
Be assured that if Jesus, who left the splendor of heaven to fulfill the Father’s plan, could cry out in such a way, so can we. Jesus fully knew the glory that ultimately lay ahead for Him, but in His dark moment of fear, He modeled for us through his prayer that we too can call out to God with our petitions. Ultimately, despite His anguish, Jesus left it all in the Heavenly Father’s hands and submitted it to His will.
And so it should be with me, and all who call themselves Christians. We should earnestly lay out our hearts and hurts in prayer, but end always with “Thy will be done”. God has a plan for each of us. In our narrow vision we may only see hurt and impossibility, but He has knowledge of all things. In Jeremiah 29, He reveals that He has a plan to promote and prosper us. In context, these words were written to the afflicted nation of Israel which was to endure unimaginable loss and heartache before God brought deliverance and fulfilled His promise. And so it is with us. We can’t govern time and place of things we want to happen or stop happening. It is in His hands and we must rest in that knowledge.
“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” – Jeremiah 29:11 NIV
I hope this beautifully raw and honest song will uplift someone out there who may be struggling with a situation that seems too big, too painful to bear. I’ve had my share over the years but have learned to circle back to “Thy will be done”. I don’t always do this gracefully, but God doesn’t care about that. He only wants us to cast our cares on Him.
Hi! I’m Tracy…Christ-follower, wife, mama, writer, blogger, speaker, teacher, dreamer. I love Earl Grey Tea and quiet mornings. Here at Earl Grey and Yellow, the focus is striving to be faithful and appreciate the small things. So glad you stopped by. Please have a look around and subscribe to our newsletter and social media to stay connected.
