God’s primary concern is not your happiness but His kingdom. John the Baptist came preaching that God’s kingdom was near. Jesus preached that His kingdom was at hand. The early disciples and Paul preached and taught about God’s kingdom. The kingdom, or rule of God, was always central to people in the Bible and it ought to drive our lives as well.
The kingdom of God is the rule of God on earth. God’s purposes are to expand His rule over the hearts of more and more people. His kingdom seeks to exert dominion over every country and people group on earth. Jesus declared that we ought to first seek His kingdom, and then God would provide everything else we needed in life (Matt. 6:33).
God’s kingdom will be completely established only when He is obeyed on earth as quickly and wholeheartedly as He is in heaven. In heaven, there is no delay or excuses or arguing over God’s commands. There, obedience is immediate and total. Jesus instructed us to pray that God’s rule among us would be equally absolute. Of course, while we can only pray for and encourage others to fully submit to Christ’s lordship over them, we have total control over how fervently we obey God’s commands. Every time we pray this phrase, we must stop and ask if we truly are obeying Christ in the same manner as He is obeyed in heaven. Jesus did not intend this phrase to be poetical. He meant for it to be a reality.