Date: Thursday, 8th October, 2026
Text: Luke 22:42
Author: Pastor Adedeji Fadehan
Exhortation:
Though God is sovereign, He does not force His will upon us. He has given mankind the ability to make choices, and when we stubbornly insist on having our own way, God may permit us to follow the path we have chosen. This is what is often referred to as the permissive will of God—God allowing something to happen even though it is not His perfect desire or ideal plan for us. His permission, however, should never be mistaken for His approval.
God desires that we submit our will to His will. When our desires clash with His purpose, humility and reverence require us to bow before Him. Jesus demonstrated this perfectly in the garden of Gethsemane when He prayed, “Nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done” (Luke 22:42).
Insisting on our own way despite knowing God’s will is an expression of pride. It is as though we are telling God that we know better than He does. The wise response is to surrender our plans, desires and ambitions to the One whose wisdom is infinitely greater than ours.
Many avoidable struggles can result when people insist on their own way instead of seeking and following God’s perfect will. Marriages, careers, businesses, projects and even major decisions can suffer when God’s counsel is ignored.
Something may be permitted by God without being His best for us. Do not mistake God’s permission for His endorsement. Do not settle for what God merely allows when you can walk in what He desires. Seek His will, submit your will to His, and let His purpose prevail in your life.
Prayer Nugget: Father, deliver me from the pride of insisting on my own way. Give me the humility to surrender my will to Yours, and the grace to obey You always in Jesus’ name.
Bible in One Year: Matthew 18–20