Once more he went away and prayed the same thing. Mark 14:39
I spoke with a man the other day who told me how he had once turned his back on God. After years of praying and not receiving the healing for which he had hoped, he gave up. He felt God would never answer his prayer, and he decided to face the world on his own. Thankfully, he has returned to the One who can heal him.
If anyone were going to receive an immediate response to prayer, I would think it would be Jesus. But the night He was betrayed, He prayed the exact same thing over and over, "not what I will, but what You will."
Why do we so easily turn our backs on God when He doesn't give us the things for which we ask? He knows what is best for us in order to accomplish His purpose. Sometimes it involves frustration, pain, and even death. If we stay with Him when we face these things, we find the strength to endure. Running away only prolongs the pain.
Father, forgive me for running from Your will. Help me to embrace Your plan. Help me to continue praying. Not my will, but Yours, O Lord.