Daily Devotional: Will to Will
- David A. Case
- Apr 10
- 3 min read
By David A. Case
“He… fell on the ground, and prayed… ‘Abba, Father… not what I will, but what You will.’” - Mark 14:35–36 (NKJV)
One of the unique abilities God gave human beings is the capacity to think about our thoughts. I am not limited to whatever impulse rises first. I can step back, observe what is happening inside me, and choose a different direction. That means I can do something that is “not my will,” not what my ego or selfish part would have chosen. That single ability opens the door to heart change.
Jesus models this in the Garden of Gethsemane. He did not want the suffering of the cross. He did not want the humiliation. He did not want the agony and the loneliness of bearing sin. He did not want the separation from the Father that would come as He took on the sins of the world. Those desires were not sinful. They were human. Pain is painful. Shame is heavy. Separation is terrifying.
Yet in that moment, Jesus chose something higher than what He wanted. He chose the Father’s will. He chose love. He chose salvation for humanity. The cross was not forced on Him by circumstance. It was chosen through surrender. “Not My will, but Yours, be done.”
That phrase can sound like poetry until it meets real life. Most of us face smaller cups than Jesus faced, yet the principle is the same. The selfish part of me wants immediate relief. It wants comfort now. It wants to avoid pain, avoid conflict, avoid humility. It wants reward without waiting, control without surrender. Then God speaks, and His will often calls me into something my flesh does not prefer.
So the question becomes practical: how do I choose what I do not want? The answer begins with recognizing that my “want” is not the final authority. My wants are real, yet they are not always wise. My wants can be trained by habit, fear, pride, or appetite. If I always follow want, I will become a person governed by impulse. Heart change comes through consistent heart choice.
This is also why “in the end, actions win.” I may feel spiritual at times and empty at other times. Feelings come and go. What shapes a heart is not a moment of intensity, but a long trail of actions that consistently lean toward God. Actions reveal what I believe. Actions form what I become.
Jesus did not wait until His emotions agreed. He chose obedience in the middle of emotional strain. He surrendered in the middle of dread. He obeyed in the middle of fear. That is the will to will. It is the ability to tell the selfish part, “You are not in charge,” and then to move toward God anyway.
God is not asking me to deny that I have desires. He is asking me to put those desires under His lordship. When I do, something begins to shift. The inner man grows stronger. The voice of the Spirit becomes clearer. The flesh loses its grip. Heart change does not come from wishing I were different. It comes from choosing differently.
Today I do not need dramatic feelings to obey. I need surrender. I need the will to will.
Reflection Question
Where do I most often treat my “want” as the final authority instead of submitting it to God?
Prayer
Father, strengthen my will to choose You when my selfish parts resist. Teach me to surrender like Jesus did, not waiting for my emotions to agree, but obeying because Your will is life. Give me grace to act on what is right today. In Jesus’ name, amen.
Obedience Step for Today
Identify one small obedience you can practice today that goes against your selfish preference. Do it intentionally as an act of surrender to God.
This devotional was inspired by the book Heart Change Handbook by David A. Case. If you found it helpful, please consider it for your own self-study and suggest it to your church small group or recovery community as a basis for small group study.
If this message has encouraged you to pursue deeper transformation, I invite you to continue the journey through The Heart Change Handbook. It provides a practical, biblical path for spiritual growth and is an excellent resource for church small groups and recovery communities. Consider getting your copy today and introducing it to your group as a guide toward meaningful heart change.
👉 Learn more about Small Group Resources from Heart Change U.
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