"Your will be done in earth, as it is in heaven." (Matthew 6:10)
This petition is the most difficult of all for human beings to utter from the heart. Indeed, often as it is repeated, it is scarcely ever thought of as really a petition, but rather as a concession to the Lord.
People in general, perhaps without being conscious of it, regard the will of God as something to be submitted to and endured; they talk about being "resigned to the will of God," and think it the highest attainment of piety if they do not exhibit or express impatience under it.
That this is altogether the wrong view of the case, may readily be understood if one but stop to think where the expression, "Your will be done" is found. It is in the prayer that the Lord Jesus has taught us to pray, and ranks as a petition, a request, along with, "Your kingdom come, ... Give us this day our daily bread," (Matthew 6:10-11) and "Forgive us our trespasses." (Matthew 6:12)
It is therefore a thing to be ardently desired, as much as our daily bread or the forgiveness of our sins. It is not something against us, but a thing for our benefit.
It is not the will of God that any should perish; but, on the contrary, "[He] will have all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth." (1 Timothy 2:4) "This is the will of God, even your sanctification." (1 Thessalonians 4:3)
He wills that which is best for us, and therefore when we pray, "Your will be done," we are only asking Him to do the best thing possible for us. That prayer really embraces all things, so that when we have asked for all the things that we can think of in detail, we can add, "Your will be done," which will be equivalent to saying, "And do everything else for us that You think is necessary for our welfare." "[He is] able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think." (Ephesians 3:20)
And that is His will for us. His good will toward us is as boundless as His power; if therefore we ask according to our own will we shall get but little, but if we ask according to His will, we are sure of having all things.--Present Truth, September 4, 1902.