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Japanese Jesus taught his disciples to pray for God’s will in one line, “Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven,” and he prayed it himself over his own suffering. In Gethsemane he said, “nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done.” The prayers below ask to know God’s will, to accept it and to follow it, and after them come older prayers.
“Thy will be done” in Scripture
The words come from the Lord’s Prayer (Matthew 6:10), which Christians of every church say. For his prayer in Gethsemane on the night before he died, Luke records the words “not my will, but thine, be done” (Luke 22:42), and Matthew gives them as “O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt” (Matthew 26:39). He does not pretend that he wanted the cross. He asks for the cup to pass, and then he leaves the answer with the Father.
Other short prayers in the Bible ask for the same thing. The boy Samuel, woken in the night, answered, “Speak; for thy servant heareth” (1 Samuel 3:10). The psalmist prayed, “Teach me to do thy will; for thou art my God: thy spirit is good; lead me into the land of uprightness” (Psalm 143:10), and “I delight to do thy will, O my God” (Psalm 40:8). When Paul’s friends could not talk him out of going to Jerusalem, where he expected arrest, they stopped arguing and said, “The will of the Lord be done” (Acts 21:14).
Prayers to know God’s will before a decision
Before a big decision
Lord, I have to decide about [the job, the move, the offer], and I cannot see far enough ahead. Show me what you want. Close the door that is wrong, even if I like it, and give me peace about the one that is right. “A man’s heart deviseth his way: but the LORD directeth his steps” (Proverbs 16:9). Direct mine. Amen.
When both choices look good
God, I have two good options and I keep changing my mind. Neither is sinful, and both could serve you. Help me to weigh them honestly, to notice which one I am only choosing out of fear or pride, and then to choose and stop looking back. Amen.
For good advice
Lord, I do not want to decide alone. Send me people who know you and know me: a pastor, a friend, someone older who has made this kind of choice before. Let me listen to them, and not only to the ones who agree with me. “In the multitude of counsellors there is safety” (Proverbs 11:14). Amen.
When God seems silent
Father, I have asked and asked, and I hear nothing. Keep me from inventing an answer just to end the waiting. Meanwhile help me to do the things I already know are your will: to be honest, to be kind and to keep my promises. “Wait on the LORD: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart” (Psalm 27:14). Amen.
Prayers to accept God’s will
When the answer is no
Lord, I wanted this badly, and it did not happen. I am disappointed, and you know it. Help me say what Jesus said in the garden, not my will but yours, and mean it a little more each day. Show me what you are giving me in place of what I asked for. Amen.
When you are afraid of what God may ask
Father, part of me does not want to know your will, because I am afraid it will cost too much. Take the fear. Remind me that you are good and that you do not hand your children stones when they ask for bread. Give me the courage to say yes before I know the whole plan. Amen.
When you think you have missed God’s will
God, I made a choice years ago that I now think was wrong. I cannot go back. Forgive whatever was selfish in it, and show me your will from where I am standing now. You are able to bring good out of my mistakes. Amen.
Prayers to align your will with God’s
For a surrendered heart
Lord, I hold my plans too tightly. I want my timeline, my kind of success and my way of doing things. Loosen my grip. Change what I want until it looks more like what you want, and give me joy in the change. Amen.
For courage to obey
Father, I know what you are asking me to do, and I have been putting it off. Give me the courage to take the first step today: the phone call, the apology, the letter, the resignation. Stay with me in it. Amen.
For someone you love
Lord, [name] is trying to find the right path, and I cannot choose it for [him or her]. Guide [him or her] by your Spirit, send wise counsel, and keep me from pushing my own plan. Let [name] hear your voice clearly. Amen.
The will of God in the old prayer books
From The Imitation of Christ
The Imitation of Christ is the work of Thomas à Kempis, a canon of Mount St. Agnes near Zwolle, in the Netherlands, who died in 1471. In its third book, after warning that “not every desire is from the Holy Ghost, although it appear to a man right and good,” he gives this prayer, here in William Benham’s translation:
Grant me Thy grace, most merciful Jesus, that it may be with me, and work in me, and persevere with me, even unto the end. Grant that I may ever desire and wish whatsoever is most pleasing and dear unto Thee. Let Thy will be mine, and let my will alway follow Thine, and entirely accord with it. May I choose and reject whatsoever Thou dost; yea, let it be impossible for me to choose or reject except according to Thy will.
Thomas à Kempis, The Imitation of Christ, trans. William Benham, Book 3, chapter 15, “A Prayer to be Enabled to do God’s Will Perfectly”
The same chapter gives a shorter form for any request: “Lord, thou knowest what is best; let this or that be, according as Thou wilt. Give what Thou wilt, so much as Thou wilt, when Thou wilt.”
A prayer for guidance, from the Book of Common Prayer
O God, by whom the meek are guided in judgment, and light riseth up in darkness for the godly; Grant us, in all our doubts and uncertainties, the grace to ask what thou wouldest have us to do, that the Spirit of Wisdom may save us from all false choices, and that in thy light we may see light, and in thy straight path may not stumble; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
The Book of Common Prayer (1928), Family Prayer, “For Guidance,” p. 595
The Suscipe of Saint Ignatius
Ignatius of Loyola, the founder of the Jesuits, gave us this prayer offering the whole self to God, and Catholics often pray it to accept God’s will. This is the text Francis Xavier Lasance printed in 1906:
Take, O Lord, and receive all my liberty, my memory, my understanding, and my whole will. Thou hast given me all that I am and all that I possess; I surrender it all to Thee that Thou mayest dispose of it according to Thy will. Give me only Thy love and Thy grace; with these I will be rich enough, and will have no more to desire.
F. X. Lasance, The Catholic Girl’s Guide (1906), “Suscipe: Prayer of St. Ignatius,” pp. 525–526
The Prayer of the Optina Elders
When Russian Orthodox Christians pray for God’s will, they often use a morning prayer known as the Prayer of the Optina Elders, named after the Russian monastery of Optina. It opens by asking for peace of soul to meet whatever the day brings, and its second line asks, in English, “grant me to give myself wholly to your holy will.” Tradition credits Ambrose of Optina and the monks who followed him. But the Russian Orthodox magazine Foma reports that no one has shown who wrote it, and that the text most likely took shape in the twentieth century among the spiritual children of the last Optina elders.
How can a Christian know God’s will?
Much of God’s will is not hidden at all. Paul wrote, “For this is the will of God, even your sanctification” (1 Thessalonians 4:3), and the prophet Micah summed it up: “what doth the LORD require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?” (Micah 6:8). So a choice that breaks one of these plain commands is not God’s will, however strongly we feel it.
For choices Scripture does not settle, such as which job or which city, the Bible points to a changed mind more than a sign: “be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God” (Romans 12:2). It also promises wisdom to anyone who asks: “If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him” (James 1:5). And James tells us to hold our plans loosely: “ye ought to say, If the Lord will, we shall live, and do this, or that” (James 4:15). You will find more passages in Bible verses about God’s will.
Lord, I do not need to see the whole road. Show me the next step, give me the grace to take it, and keep me close enough to hear you when I turn to the right hand or the left. Amen.
Prayer for a Surrendered Heart
Surrendering our will to God is often the hardest step of all, because it means trusting that his plan is better than ours even when we cannot see it. In this prayer we open our hands.
Heavenly Father, I come before You today with a heart that is often stubborn and wants its own way. I confess that I hold tightly to my own dreams, my own timelines, and my own understanding of how things should be. My grip is tight because I am afraid of the unknown, afraid of letting go. But I know that true peace is not found in my own control, but in my surrender to Your perfect will.
Lord, please soften my heart. Help me to loosen my fingers from the plans I have made for myself. I want to trade my anxious striving for Your gentle guidance. Teach me what it means to truly say, “Not my will, but Yours be done.” I choose to believe that what You have for me is greater than anything I could imagine for myself. Fill me with a spirit of peaceful release.
I lay down my pride, my fears, and my ambitions at Your feet. Take them and give me Your peace in exchange. I trust You with my life, with my future, and with my today. Help me to walk in the freedom of a fully surrendered heart, ready to follow wherever You lead, In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
A heart that surrenders has not been defeated. It is ready to receive God’s blessings and his direction, and when we let go, we make room for him to work. As it says in Proverbs 3:5-6, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.”
Prayer for Clarity and Direction
Sometimes God’s will feels like a thick fog and we do not know which way to turn. In this prayer we ask him for light on our path and a direction too clear to mistake.
Lord God, You are the light of the world. Right now, I feel like I am standing at a crossroads, and I cannot see the path ahead. The future feels confusing, and my own thoughts are a mix of hopes, fears, and other people’s opinions. I am overwhelmed by the choices before me, and I am terrified of making the wrong one. I need Your divine clarity.
Please quiet the noise in my mind and in my heart so that I can hear Your voice alone. Shine Your light on the one next step You want me to take. I don’t need to see the entire journey, Lord, just the place to put my foot next. Remove any confusion that comes from my own desires or from the enemy’s distractions. Give me a clear sign, a sense of peace, or a word from Scripture that points the way.
I commit my decision-making to You. I trust that You will not let me stray far when my heart is genuinely seeking You. Lead me, guide me, and make Your will so plain that I cannot miss it, In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
When we ask God for direction, we humbly admit that we do not have all the answers. He honors that and promises to guide us. Psalm 119:105 reminds us, “Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path,” and he gives us just enough light for the step we need to take.
Prayer for Patience While Waiting
God’s timing is rarely the same as ours, and the “in-between” time, while we wait for his will to unfold, can be frustrating. This prayer asks for strength and peace while we wait on the Lord to act.
Faithful Father, You are never early and never late, but I confess that my heart grows restless in the waiting. My human nature craves instant answers and immediate results. This season of waiting feels unproductive and, at times, it feels like You are silent. Forgive me for my impatience and for the anxiety that bubbles up in my soul.
Lord, I ask that You transform this period of waiting into a time of growth. Help me to trust Your process. Teach me to find joy and purpose right where I am, even in the uncertainty. Instead of focusing on the destination, help me to focus on You. Fill me with Your supernatural peace that guards my heart and mind from the temptation to run ahead of Your plan or give up completely.
Let my heart learn to be still and know that You are God. Help me to use this time to draw closer to You, to listen more intently, and to rest in the assurance that You are working all things together for my good, In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
When we wait on God we are not idle; we are trusting him. In that season he deepens our faith and prepares us for what comes next. As Isaiah 40:31 says, “but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.”
Prayer for Trust in God’s Plan
We may know God has a plan and still find it hard to trust when it looks different from what we expected. This prayer asks him to build in us a deep, unshakable trust in his goodness and sovereignty.
Sovereign Lord, I know in my head that You are in control and that Your plans are for my good. But my heart is struggling to trust You. From where I stand, things look confusing, painful, or simply wrong. My limited vision fills me with doubt and fear, and I am tempted to believe that I know what is best for my life.
Forgive me for my lack of faith. I ask You to build in me a foundation of trust that is stronger than my circumstances and my feelings. Remind my soul of all the times You have been faithful in the past. Help me to believe in Your goodness even when I cannot see it. I choose to put my hope not in a certain outcome, but in You, my unchanging God.
Lord, let my faith be more than just words. Help me to live it out by resting in Your promises and not striving in my own strength. I place my life, my hopes, and my future in Your capable hands, trusting You completely, In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
Trusting God means choosing to lean on his character when life makes no sense, and there is peace in resting on his plan. We can hold on to the promise of Jeremiah 29:11: “‘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.’”
Prayer for Courage to Obey
Sometimes God’s will is clear and frightening at the same time, because he may call us to do something uncomfortable, difficult or unpopular. This is a prayer for the courage to step out in faith and obey his call.
Almighty God, You are the source of all true strength and courage. You have made Your will clear to me in this situation, but I confess that my heart is filled with fear. I see the risks, the potential for failure, and the disapproval of others. My weakness feels overwhelming, and I am tempted to shrink back into what feels safe and comfortable.
Lord, I don’t want to be ruled by fear. I ask You to replace my fear with a holy courage that comes only from You. Remind me that You do not call me to do things in my own power. When I am weak, You are strong. Fill me with the boldness of Your Holy Spirit, empowering me to take this step of obedience despite the trembling in my soul.
Help me to fix my eyes on You, Lord, not on the giants in the land or the waves crashing around me. You are with me, and You will never forsake me. Give me the strength to say “yes” to You and to walk forward in confident faith, In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
Following God’s will often takes us out of what feels safe, but he never sends us alone, and our courage comes from his presence. We can hear him say to us what he told Joshua in Joshua 1:9: “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.”
Prayer for a Humble Spirit
Pride is one of the biggest obstacles to finding and following God’s will, because it convinces us that our way is best. This prayer asks for the humility to truly seek God’s counsel above our own.
Lord Jesus, You are the perfect example of humility. You emptied Yourself and took the form of a servant, obedient even to the point of death. I come before You acknowledging that my own heart is so often filled with pride. I want recognition, I want to be right, and I want to rely on my own strength and wisdom.
Please break down the walls of pride in my life. Forgive me for the times I have leaned on my own understanding and ignored Your gentle nudges. I ask You to give me a humble and teachable spirit. Help me to see myself as You see me—loved, but in constant need of Your grace and guidance. I want to value Your thoughts above my own.
Make me quick to listen, slow to speak, and willing to be led. I desire to decrease so that You might increase in my life. Empty me of my self-reliance so that I can be filled with Your wisdom and strength, ready to accept Your will with a grateful and humble heart, In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
Humility is not thinking less of yourself but thinking of yourself less, and when we are humble, God can guide us. James 4:10 tells us, “Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up,” and often that lifting up means he guides us into his perfect plan.
Prayer for Discerning God’s Voice
With so much noise around us, it can be hard to tell God’s voice from our own desires, our fears or the opinions of others. This prayer asks for the wisdom to discern his true and gentle leading.
Good Shepherd, Your sheep know Your voice. Lord, I long to know Your voice with that same certainty. My world is so loud, filled with distractions and conflicting messages. My own heart speaks with a loud voice of want and worry. I need Your help to filter out all the noise so that I can hear You clearly.
I ask for the gift of spiritual discernment. Sharpen my spiritual ears. Help me to test the spirits and to recognize what is from You and what is not. Teach me to measure every feeling, every opportunity, and every piece of advice against the truth of Your Word. Let Your Holy Spirit be my internal guide, giving me a sense of peace about what is right and a check in my spirit about what is wrong.
Lord, please speak to me in whatever way You see fit—through Scripture, through wise counsel, through my circumstances, or through that still, small voice inside. I am listening. Help me to recognize and trust Your guidance above all else, In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
We learn to know God’s voice as we come to know him, and the closer we grow, the more readily we recognize his leading. John 10:27 says, “My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me.” He promises there that those who follow him can learn to recognize his call.
Prayer for Strength to Follow His Path
It is one thing to know God’s will and another to have the strength and endurance to keep walking in it. This prayer asks God for the strength to stay on the path he has chosen for us, especially when it is hard.
Lord, my provider and my strength, I know the path You have set before me, but I feel weak. The journey looks long, the challenges feel great, and my own energy is fading. I am tempted to give up, to take an easier road, or to stop altogether. I confess that in my own power, I cannot do this. I am completely dependent on You.
I ask You now to fill me with Your supernatural strength. Be the endurance in my legs when I feel like I cannot take another step. Be the resolve in my heart when I am tempted to compromise. Remind me that Your power is made perfect in my weakness. I am not walking this path alone; You are with me, holding my hand and cheering me on.
Help me to draw my strength from You each day, through prayer and Your Word. Let me not rely on my fluctuating feelings, but on Your unchanging faithfulness. Renew my spirit and give me the grace to persevere with joy, knowing the path leads to You, In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
We follow God’s will by drawing on his unlimited supply rather than our own limited strength, and he gives us what we need for the task he has called us to. Philippians 4:13 reminds us: “I can do all this through him who gives me strength.”
Prayer for Peace in Uncertainty
While we wait for God to show us his will, our minds can fill with anxiety and “what ifs.” In this prayer we ask him to guard our hearts with his peace, which surpasses all understanding.
Prince of Peace, my mind is a storm of anxious thoughts. The future is uncertain, and I do not know what Your will is for me in this season. I am wrestling with fear, worry, and a desperate need to have everything figured out right now. This inner turmoil is robbing me of my joy and my ability to trust You.
Lord, I ask You to calm the storm inside me. I invite Your Holy Spirit to stand guard over my heart and my mind. I give You every anxious thought, every “what if” scenario, and every fear about the future. I release my need to understand everything and choose instead to rest in who You are—a good and loving Father who holds my life in His hands.
Please fill me with a peace that does not depend on my circumstances. Let Your presence be so real to me that it overshadows all my worries. Help me to breathe deeply and trust that even in this uncertainty, You are with me and You are in control, In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
God’s peace does not take our problems away; it is God himself with us in the middle of them. He offers it freely. John 14:27 says, “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.”
Prayer for an Open Heart and Mind
Sometimes, without even realizing it, we close our hearts to God’s will because it does not match our secret hopes. This prayer asks for a heart and mind truly open to anything God has in store.
Father God, search me and know my heart. I come to You asking for Your will, but I confess that I often have my own preferences and hidden agendas. I may have already decided what I want You to do, and my heart might be closed to any other possibility. I am afraid of being disappointed or being asked to do something I don’t want to do.
Lord, I ask You to break open any closed doors in my heart and mind. Show me where I am resistant to Your leading. Give me a spirit of true openness, one that is genuinely willing to receive whatever You have for me. Help me to be excited about Your plan, even if it’s a complete surprise, rather than being afraid of it.
I want my first response to be “Yes, Lord,” no matter what You ask. Prepare my heart to accept Your will with grace, joy, and a deep-seated trust that You know best. Make me a blank canvas on which You can paint Your masterpiece, In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
In an open heart God’s will can take root, and so we pray honestly for him to bring our “wants” into line with his. As Psalm 139:23-24 asks, “Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.”
Prayer for Contentment in His Provision
God’s will may leave us with less than we hoped for, or lead us to a life that looks nothing like the world’s idea of success. This prayer asks for true contentment in his will, whatever it may be.
Gracious Provider, I confess that my eyes often wander to what others have. I compare my life, my possessions, and my circumstances to theirs, and my heart fills with discontentment. I get caught up in wanting more, better, and different than what You have given me. Forgive me for my ungrateful and restless heart.
Lord, I ask You to teach me the secret of being content in any and every situation. Whether I have plenty or am in need, help me to find my ultimate satisfaction in You alone. You are my portion and my cup. Remind me that true wealth is not found in earthly things but in knowing You and walking in Your will.
Please shift my perspective from what I lack to the abundance of blessings You have already poured out on my life. Cultivate in me a spirit of thankfulness. Help me to joyfully accept Your will and Your provision for this day, trusting that You give me exactly what I need, In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
Contentment is a spiritual discipline that frees us from comparing ourselves with others and lets us see God’s hand in our lives. Paul’s words in Philippians 4:12 show that it can be learned: “I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation.”
Prayer for a Willingness to Act
Sometimes we pray for God’s will, he shows it to us, and then we hesitate and cannot move. This prayer asks God to help us go from knowing his will to doing it.
Lord of Action, You are a God who speaks and then does. I confess that I am often the opposite. I pray for Your guidance, and when You provide it, I hesitate. I overthink, I make excuses, and I delay, waiting for the perfect moment or for all fear to disappear. Forgive me for my procrastination and my timid spirit.
Father, I ask You to ignite a fire in me. Transform my knowledge of Your will into a passion to carry it out. Bridge the gap between my hearing and my doing. When You say “Go,” help my feet to move. When You say “Serve,” help my hands to get to work. Remove the spirit of passivity and replace it with a holy and energetic obedience.
Give me a sense of urgency about the things that are on Your heart. Let me not be a hearer of the word only, but a doer. I commit to taking that first step of faith today, trusting that You will provide the strength for every step that follows, In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
Faith without works is dead, and we show that we truly agree with God’s will by obeying it and acting on it. We are encouraged by James 1:22: “Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.” Doing it is the last step in living out God’s will.
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