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March 19, 2026<\/span><\/p>\n The Thing That Might Be Missing From Your Prayers<\/strong><\/span> Lee en espa\u00f1ol<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cGoing a little farther, he fell with his face to the ground and prayed, \u2018My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will.\u2019\u201d Matthew 26:39 (NIV)<\/em><\/p>\n I\u2019d spent weeks pounding the sidewalks in my neighborhood, praying and walking, pleading for resolution to an important decision in my daughter\u2019s life. I was pouring out my soul, casting my anxieties on the Lord (1 Peter 5:7).<\/p>\n But whenever I said amen<\/em>, I still felt unsettled. I definitely wasn\u2019t experiencing \u201cthe peace of God, which transcends all understanding,\u201d<\/em> as promised in Philippians 4:7 (NIV).<\/p>\n Maybe peace will come if I pray more convincingly, more passionately<\/em>, I thought. And so I did. I walked and prayed till I nearly wore a groove in the pavement \u2026 but nothing changed.<\/p>\n During one walk, I thought about Jesus praying in the garden of Gethsemane hours before His arrest. Knowing what was coming \u2014 a trial, torture, and death \u2014 Jesus was filled with sorrow. Matthew 26:39 describes His prayer this way:<\/p>\n \u201cGoing a little farther, he fell with his face to the ground and prayed,\u00a0\u2018My Father, if it is possible, may this cup\u00a0be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will.\u2019\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n While my suffering was nothing compared to Jesus\u2019 anguish, I considered what I could learn from His prayer. Like me, Jesus longed for relief, and He began by presenting His request to His Father: \u201cIf it is possible, may this cup be taken from me.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n But Jesus\u2019 prayer didn\u2019t stop there. He went on: \u201cNot as I will, but as you will.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n I paused midstep, dismayed and convicted. I\u2019d been praying myself hoarse, asking God to do what\u00a0I\u00a0<\/em>thought was best. I\u2019d been praying with clenched fists, holding tight to my own wisdom and will. In all my prayers, I had yet to say, \u201cNot as I will, but as you will.\u201d\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n Humbled, I started praying differently. I asked God to help me surrender and fully trust Him. I prayed, God, here is what makes sense to me, the outcome I am hoping for, but I trust Your wisdom. Please do whatever You know is best. I place my trust \u2014 and my daughter \u2014 in Your loving hands.<\/em><\/p>\n Several weeks later, God resolved the situation, and I stood in awe of His plan. It wasn\u2019t what I\u2019d expected, but it was exactly what my girl needed. God knew best \u2014 as He always does.<\/p>\n If you\u2019ve been praying without finding peace, could it be that a surrendered spirit is missing from your prayers? Like Jesus, let\u2019s present our requests to God but ultimately invite Him to do His<\/em> will.<\/p>\n \u201cYour will be done\u201d reminds us that God sees the big picture and always acts in love.<\/p>\n \u201cYour will be done\u201d affirms our trust in Him \u2014 which is the true path to peace.<\/p>\n Father, I trust Your heart and Your plans. I give You my fears, concerns, and unknowns. Not my will but Yours be done. In Jesus\u2019 Name, Amen.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n There\u2019s a version of you who shows up for everyone else \u2014 the strong one, the capable one, the \u201cI\u2019m fine\u201d one. But there\u2019s also the version of you who feels behind, who questions everything at 2 a.m., who wonders if she\u2019s the only one still struggling to believe she\u2019s called. Our new reflection journal resource, Unpolished<\/em><\/strong>, is designed for that version of you. It helps you slow down long enough to pay attention to your real emotions; your real longings; and the small, sacred ways God has been trying to get your attention. Not when you\u2019re polished, confident, or curated \u2014 right here, in the unfiltered parts you try to keep quiet.\u00a0<\/strong>You don\u2019t owe the world a perfected story. God always begins with the version of you that actually exists. Get your copy of the Unpolished<\/em> journal<\/strong>, and take the first step toward all God has for you.<\/strong><\/p>\n Elizabeth sends Bible studies and devotions to her newsletter friends, and she\u2019d love to connect on Instagram, where you can find out more about her books, including All the Feels for Teens: The Good, the Not-So-Good, and the Utterly Confusing.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n 1 Peter 5:6-7, \u201cHumble yourselves, therefore, under God\u2019s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you\u201d (NIV).<\/p>\n Philippians 4:6-7, \u201cDo not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus\u201d (NIV).<\/p>\n In what areas do you find it most difficult to surrender to God\u2019s will? (Finances? Family? Career?) What helps you to trust God\u2019s will for your life? Share your thoughts in the comments.<\/p>\n \u00a9 2026 by Elizabeth Laing Thompson. All rights reserved.<\/p>\n Proverbs 31 Ministries
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