God's Way

God’s Way

Rev. M.D .Rogers

 

For My thoughts are not your thoughts, and your ways are not My ways.” [This is] the Lord’s declaration. “For as heaven is higher than earth, so My ways are higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts.”—Isaiah 55:8–9

 

God’s ways are not our ways. When you try to understand how God does things, from a human perspective, it never adds up. Look in the Bible. Did it make sense to Abraham or Sarah when God told them they would have a son in their old age? No, Sarah laughed at God! How do you think Noah felt when God told him to build a huge boat so that he and his family would survive the coming flood? Or Gideon, watching his army dwindle from tens of thousands to only 300,fwhile told by God they would defeat thousands of Midianite soldiers. And of course, Jesus’ disciples must have been pretty confused and scared as they watched their Messiah crucified outside of Jerusalem.

 

So, when you feel God leading you to do something, or if you seem to be up against an insurmountable obstacle in your life… remember that God’s Ways are Not Our Ways. Trust in Him, and remember Jeremiah 29:11 “For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

Rarely does God do something exactly as we think He will. Our problem is that we try to second-guess God, saying, “Oh, now I know what God is planning to do!” Moses experienced this as he learned how God was going to deliver the Hebrews out of Egypt. God told him He would harden Pharaoh's heart. Yet, the result was not what Moses anticipated. Rather than allowing the Hebrews to leave, Pharaoh increased their hardship. Rather than becoming a hero among the Hebrews, Moses was despised by them for bringing greater suffering. Moses returned to the Lord and asked, “Lord, why have You brought trouble on this people? Why is it You have sent me?”(Exod. 5:22).

Much of the frustration we experience as Christians has nothing to do with what God does or doesn't do. It has everything to do, rather, with the false assumptions we make about how we think God will and should act.

Have you ever done the will of God and then things seemed to become worse? Moses completely misunderstood what the results of His obedience to God would be. When things did not turn out as he anticipated, Moses became discouraged. God had told Moses what to do, but He had not told Moses what the consequences would be.

It is foolish to attempt to do God's work using your own “common sense.” God does not eliminate your common sense, He consecrates it. He gives you His wisdom so you can understand His ways.

As you look back on God's activity in your life, you will recognize the supreme wisdom in how He has led you. As you look forward to what God may do, be careful you do not try to predict what He will do next. You may find yourself completely off the mark.