A story on the Hymn, “Have Thine Own Way, Lord” by William Petersen

At forty, Adelaide Pollard was trying unsuccessfully to raise support to go to Africa as a missionary. She wondered why the Lord could so burden her with the needs of Africa, but not make it possible for her to go. During this time of discouragement, she attended a small prayer meeting where an elderly woman prayed, “Lord, it doesn’t matter what You bring into our lives, just have Your way with us.”

That night, Pollard went home and read the story of Jeremiah’s visit to the potter’s house, and later that evening she wrote this hymn. She said that she had always felt the Lord was molding her and preparing her for his service. Then all of a sudden, he seemed to have deserted her.

“Perhaps,” she reasoned, “my questioning of God’s will shows a flaw in my life. So God decided to break me, as the potter broke the defective vessel, and then to mold my life again in his own ."

Scriptures: Jeremiah 18:3-6; Romans 9:20-21; Galatians 2:20
Themes: Consecration, Confession, Humility

Lyrics of the Hymn:
Have Thine own way, Lord! Have Thine own way!
Thou art the potter; I am the clay.
Mold me and make me after Thy will,
While I am waiting, yielded and still.

Have Thine own way, Lord! Have Thine own way!
Search me and try me, Master, today!
Whiter than snow, Lord, wash me just now,
As in Thy presence humbly I bow.

Have Thine own way, Lord! Have Thine own way!
Wounded and weary, help me, I pray!
Power, all power, surely is Thine!
Touch me and heal me, Savior divine!

Have Thine own way, Lord! Have Thine own way!
Hold o’er my being absolute sway!
Fill with Thy Spirit till all shall see
Christ only, always, living in me!
By ADELAIDE ADDISON POLLARD (1862–1934)

Reference for the Hymn:
Petersen, William. The Complete Book of Hymns (pp. 334-335). Tyndale House Publishers. Kindle Edition.