Last night I prayed for a “snow day.”

“Just a foot or so, dumped at about 5:55am so they cancel school? Please? I could use a day off!”

I knew it was selfish, but I relished the thought of sleeping in, and another long weekend!

The thought haunted me through the night, though, and I write this to share why.

After the initial guilty pleasure at the thought of a possible “snow day,” I remembered that maybe someone else was praying that no snow would come. Someone who was two weeks overdue who had scheduled today as the day for their baby to be born! Someone who needed to travel to visit a sick mother, or attend a funeral, or a major business meeting. Or someone who just couldn’t take one more snow storm!

There are times when conflicting prayers are sent up to God:

Prayers by opposing sports teams, hoping that their team might come off victorious
Prayers by opposing armies in battle, each thinking they’re in the right
Prayers by one that a son might live and be healed, while others pray for his sweet release

Even the Savior, Jesus Christ prayed such a prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane. As He knelt, knowing that He would have to suffer for our sins, He prayed:

“O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me…”

There was one big difference, though, as He continued:

“nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt.” (Matthew 26:39)

He knew that God, our Heavenly Father, was mindful of Him, and He wanted to do God’s will. He knew that His Father saw the big picture, and trusted in Him. He had learned that our way isn’t always the best way.

I am learning to do the same: I’ve learned to pray for safety for the players in a game, or that life lessons will be learned if my team’s losing. I’m learning to pray for people to be able to feel peace and God’s love even when they’re surrounded by conflict or devastation. I’ve learned to prayerfully turn things I can’t control over to God who knows if it would be better for someone to live on or pass on, or which angel to put in my path. As I do so, I realize I’m allowing God to work on my behalf, unfettered by my limited understanding.

So I took my prayer back, and left the weather in God’s hands. And, miraculously, I’ve been able to enjoy a quiet morning at home writing about Him and His love. A morning I wouldn’t have had with all the kids home. He knew better than I did that I would need that time alone, without kids, to be able to write about His Son’s great example of humble prayer, and of the blessings of praying “Thy will be done.”

And somewhere, maybe someone is having their baby, or traveling clear roads, or enjoying the beauty of a blue sky because I was willing to “let go and let God.”

That is my prayer now.

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