The Whatever Prayer

On a recent episode of Your Hope-Filled Perspective, I had the privilege of speaking with Dr. Vickie Kasper about how God met her in one of the hardest seasons of her life. After a rare disease forced her to step away from a thriving medical career, Vickie faced a painful identity crisis and a long road of surrender. She vulnerably shared about letting go of bitterness and finding rest, not in recovery, but in God’s presence. If you haven’t listened to that episode, listen here: How a Doctor Let Go of Bitterness and Found Rest and Hope after Career Loss.

In today’s follow-up post, Dr. Vickie shares more of her story and the powerful lesson she learned through what she calls The Whatever Prayer. If you’ve ever wrestled with unmet expectations or struggled to release your own plans, this message will encourage your heart and point you back to the peace that comes through trust in God’s will.

“The Whatever Prayer”
By Dr. Vickie Kasper

Stillness doesn’t come naturally for me. My restless soul always wants to do more. But busyness never satisfies because the endless activity is never enough.

In my vocabulary, rest was a four-letter word. It seems like an unproductive waste of time. Shouldn’t I be doing something? Somehow, I convinced myself that God’s prescription for rest didn’t apply to me.

In the middle of my nearly enough life, I juggled career, family, community, and church. I valued eating clean, exercising (perhaps to an extreme) and feeding my soul on the Word. I’d like to think I had it all, but if I’m honest, I was on a merry-go-round and didn’t know how to make the spinning stop.

Then my whole world turned upside down with a rare disease that causes weakness. For a solid year, the Lord forced me to rest, and I learned it didn’t mean what I thought. During my season of forced rest, I learned to depend on the Lord in a way I never knew before. His presence was so real and so near.

Learning to Rest Through “The Whatever Prayer”

It cost me nearly everything and as the fragments of my life were slipping away, I begged God for a different outcome. Desperation drove me to my knees and despair soaked the pillow every night. Then I found the place of perfect peace. It comes in the place of “whatever.” Jesus modeled it in the garden, with sweat drops of blood, He asked if there was any other way. Then he said those gut-wrenching words, “Thy will be done.”

So often, I get this backwards, trying to convince God for my will to be done. Afterall, it made sense that I could stand on God’s promises, pray in His name and health and relationships could be restored. It’s exhausting to think if I just pray enough, or pray the right way, then I can force my plan. And listen, I’ve given God a lot of suggestions about how He could make things happen to accomplish it.

God can be trusted. His plans are not a mistake. He is God and I am not. So, I can rest in that and surrender to His whatever. It all comes to trust. Do I trust His plans are good? Do I trust His loving compassionate and merciful character, or do I just want my way?

Trusting God When the Outcome Isn’t What You Hoped

God doesn’t always answer prayer the way we want. Though we don’t get our will, we do get peace when we pray like Jesus, “Thy will be done.” I call it “the whatever prayer.” Sometimes I yell it, “Whatever Lord.” Letting go of my will and my expectations and desires brings true rest and peace.

“You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in You.” Isaiah 26:3 (NIV)

A steadfast mind, focused on God is impossible when we stare relentlessly at our circumstances, at our diagnosis, marital or employment or financial status. Instead, fix your eyes on Jesus. He is the author and perfecter of our faith.

Whatever you are going through He is faithful to be present. That’s His promise. And His presence is all you need for your “whatever.”

When life doesn’t go as planned, peace can still be found. Dr. Vickie Kasper shares how the whatever prayer helped her surrender and trust God. Share on X Letting go of your plans is hard especially when everything falls apart. Dr. Vickie Kasper shares how The Whatever Prayer led her to peace. Share on X

About Dr. Vickie Petz Kasper

Vickie Petz Kasper, M.D. practiced ob/gyn for 20 years until she landed on the other side of the sheets. A rare neuromuscular disorder turned her life upside down. But God used a season of forced rest to show His faithfulness.