In the Lord's Prayer, Jesus teaches us to pray, "Your kingdom come, Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven" (Matt 6:10, LSB). These familiar words profoundly express trust, hope, and submission. They call us to align our hearts with God's sovereign plan and to recognize His power to fulfill His will, both now and in the future.

God's Will for This World

When we pray, “Your will be done,” we acknowledge that God’s plan for this world is far greater than we can comprehend. It is an eschatological prayer—looking ahead to the day when God's will is fully realized when His kingdom comes in all its fullness. This prayer recognizes that one day, as Revelation 21:4–5 promises, God will wipe away every tear, abolish death, and make all things new.

This promise gives us hope. Though we live in a broken world marked by pain and suffering, we can trust that God is working out His decretive will—His sovereign plan decreed from before the foundation of the world. Ephesians 1:11 reminds us that God "works all things according to the counsel of His will." His plans are perfect, and nothing can thwart them. When we pray, we acknowledge God’s power to fulfill His promises.

Submitting to God’s Revealed Will

While we long for the day when God’s kingdom fully arrives, we also have a responsibility in the present. God has given us His revealed will—His commands and precepts for how we live in this world. Just as Adam and Eve were called to obey God’s instructions in the garden, we, too, are called to live in obedience to His revealed will.

The apostle Paul describes this in Romans 12:1–2, urging us to present our bodies as living sacrifices and not be conformed to this world. This is how we discern God’s will in our lives. When we submit to God’s will, we begin to see how He is working in and through us to transform us by the renewing of our minds. The more we saturate our hearts with God’s Word, the better equipped we are to live according to His will.

As Christians, we live in a world under the influence of Satan, the god of this age. Yet, we are not called to conform to this world. Instead, we are to be transformed by God’s Word so that we can understand and pursue His good and perfect will. Paul emphasizes that this involves our sanctification, as he writes in 1 Thessalonians 4:3, "For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you abstain from sexual immorality."

Living in the Hope of God's Perfect Will

Our ultimate hope is found in God’s power to bring His will to pass. Revelation 22:20 assures us that Jesus is coming quickly, and we echo John’s prayer: “Come, Lord Jesus.” As we wait for Christ's return, we live with a hopeful expectation that one day, God's will shall be fully realized on earth, just as it is in heaven.

While we wait, we are called to live by faith, trusting in God's promises and submitting to His will in all areas of life. Galatians 2:20 reminds us that we no longer live for ourselves but for Christ, who lives in us. Our lives are to reflect His will and His purposes. As we seek to live for Christ, we continually pray, “Your will be done,” knowing that God’s plan is perfect and His power is sufficient to bring it to pass.

Conclusion

Praying “Your will be done” is a bold statement of faith. It is a prayer that acknowledges God’s power and submits to His sovereign plan. As we pray these words, we express our longing for the day when God’s will is carried out perfectly and His kingdom is fully realized. In the meantime, we live in light of His revealed will, striving to obey His commands and trusting in His power to transform us. Ultimately, we know that God's will is good, pleasing, and perfect, and we look forward to the day when all things are made new.

As we navigate this dark world, let us pray with confidence and hope: “Your kingdom come, Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.”