Good to great!

Isaiah 55:9
For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways and My thoughts than your thoughts.

As a father, I am constantly looking out for my son.  I want to be sure that nothing bad happens to him.  All of my desires are for his good.  I want to see him prosper in his relationships, in his studies, and in his health.  I want nothing but the best for my son.

Did you know that the same holds true for our heavenly Father?  Too often we put the blame on God for bad things that happen.  We have a mindset that, in His infinite wisdom, the hurt that we’re suffering, the loss that we’re experiencing, the depression that is dragging us down, is somehow God’s will for our lives.  We say that His ways are higher, His thoughts are higher, and then saddle him for the hurt that we suffer.  

We say prayers like, “Show me what you’re trying to teach me, LORD,” to mask our true opinion of God: that He’s purposefully hurting us to teach us something.  It’s times like these that we should stop and think, “Would I do this to my child?”  If the answer is yes, SEEK HELP!  I’m assuming that your answer would be no.  If you wouldn’t purposely cause hurt to your own child, why on earth would you think God would hurt you?

Jesus makes a connection to this when He’s teaching in Matthew 7.  Christ makes the point: if we’re evil and know what is good to give, how much more does God know!

The truth is God’s ways are higher, His thoughts are higher than ours.  So let’s take that to heart.  Our way is to work and attempt to prove ourselves to a holy God.  His way is to bear our burdens and justify us through His work, bearing our punishment in His own body, rather than laying it on upon us.  Our thoughts are “do-do-do” but God’s thoughts are “It’s already done!”

What’s your desire?  Are you looking for a healing in an area of your body?  God’s desire is for your body to be completely restored.  Are you hoping for a raise at work?  God’s designing a promotion or maybe even a new career with greater benefits than you could possibly hope for!  Are you thinking you’re not worth it or that life isn’t worth living?  God’s thinking of Jesus and how He has made you worth it and given you new life!

It’s by the blood of Christ and the suffering in His sacrifice that we’re able to have all of these things.  Whatever you think you want or desire, whatever way you think is best to get it, just remember this: God’s way is better and so is the result!  When you think “good”, He thinks “great”.  When you think “great”, He thinks “greater”.  God’s thoughts for you are better than your thoughts for yourself; His plan for you is far greater than what you planned.