Praying According to God’s Will

“This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us.” — 1 John 5:14

Nobody likes uncertainty, at least not me. I love to control all the variables; no surprises! But have you ever prayed for something only to feel uncertain if God would answer? Maybe you’ve wondered if your prayers were too small, too big, or simply not aligned with His plans. The truth is, prayer isn’t about convincing God to do things our way; it’s about aligning our hearts with His will. 1 John 5:14 assures us that when we pray according to God’s will, we can approach Him with confidence, knowing that He hears and answers us.

Praying according to God’s will doesn’t mean giving up on what we desire, but rather surrendering our desires to His greater purpose. It’s about saying, “Lord, I trust your plan more than my own.” This kind of surrender doesn’t come naturally—it requires faith and humility. Think about Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane, where He prayed, “Not my will, but yours be done.” In His moment of deepest anguish, Jesus chose to align His heart with the Father’s will, modeling the kind of trust we are called to have.

When we pray in this way, it brings incredible peace. Instead of striving and worrying about whether God will say “yes,” we find rest in the assurance that He knows what is best. God’s will is always good, pleasing, and perfect (Romans 12:2), even if it doesn’t look like what we expected. Have you ever looked back and realized that God’s “no” or “not yet” turned out to be a blessing? Praying according to His will frees us from disappointment and allows us to trust that He is working for our good.

So how do we learn to pray this way? It starts with spending time in God’s Word. The more we know Him, the more our prayers align with His heart. Instead of just asking God to change our circumstances, we begin to ask Him to change us—to give us wisdom, patience, and faith in the process. As we pray, let’s trust that He hears us, He loves us, and His plans are always better than our own.

Prayer:
Heavenly Father, thank you for hearing my prayers. Teach me to pray in alignment with your will and to surrender my desires to your perfect plan. Help me to trust you, knowing that you are working for my good, even when I don’t understand. Fill my heart with peace as I rest in your love. In Jesus’ name, Amen.