God's Ways Are Higher
How do you react when your circumstances take a turn that you did not plan?
Do you freeze, not knowing what to do or how to act? Maybe if you don’t do anything different this change of your plans will all disappear like it didn’t even happen. Do you get angry with life, those around you and God? You ask yourself, “Why did this have to happen to me? There is no way a good God would allow this to happen to me.” You are mad because you have lost control, and something happened that you cannot manipulate the outcome. Or perhaps you get sad and depressed. You wallow in a pity party for yourself thinking you did something to cause this punishment being brought on you.
When we react in these ways, we cannot see the forest for the trees. We only see our problem instead of God’s great plan. Our attitude, not action, is what gives us clarity to God’s ways and plans.
“‘For my thoughts are not your thoughts, and your ways are not my ways,’ declares Yahweh. ‘For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so my ways are higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.’” Isaiah 55:8-9
“I know you can do all things; no purpose of yours can be thwarted.” Job 42:2
“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” Romans 8:28
We walk through life with a false sense of control, thinking life is all about us, our plans, decisions, and desires. We like to think we have control, but deep down we live in fear of not having control. So, which is it, confidence in control or fear due to lack of control? We strive to live with the facade that our life will turn out exactly how we planned, but in reality are drowning in the “what if.” What if life doesn’t go as I planned? What if I’m seen as a disappointment because I don’t accomplish all I have planned? We fear what others think of us instead of striving to please the One that truly matters, God.
Our need for control is keeping us from surrendering everything over to God. When I say everything, I mean everything, even the tight hold we have on our plans and our fear of disappointment. We claim to be a Christian but refuse to give God everything. The thought of that scares us because what if God’s plans do not align with ours.
Surrendering actually takes a significant amount of courage; it is not a sign of weakness. Surrendering is hard to do because it goes against everything the world tells us. It is not giving up our hopes and dreams, it is lining them with God’s plan for your life. God knows us better than we know ourselves. He knows our deepest secrets and desires. He wants us to succeed, but His idea of succeeding is different from ours. We get lost in the idea of succeeding and our accomplishments and forget that succeeding is simply being obedient to God.
When we surrender all the control we are grasping onto so tightly to God, we experience freedom from the daily grind. We still walk one foot in front of the other each day but do it with the ability to look forward to what God has for us. Every circumstance we come across in life can be used for our good and His glory. When we ask God what His plan is and search for what God has for us to learn, we can see our circumstances through His eyes instead of the world’s.
Life is not a huge mystery. It is seeking God in all circumstances, trusting His plan is greater, and asking God how He is maturing us. While justification is immediate when we accept Jesus as our Lord and Savior, sanctification is a gradual process that happens as we live our lives and grow closer to Him. Our circumstances, good and bad, are a part of sanctification. Will you accept the unforeseen circumstances in your life and allow God to develop your faith, trust, and dependence on Him?
Digging Deeper:
What is your first reaction when life does not go the way you planned?
What is God asking you to surrender to Him?
How do you see God sanctifying you?