Its Not What I Thought...

The hardest problem I have to handle as a Christian is what to do when God does not do what I have been taught to expect Him to do; when God gets out of line and does not act the way I think He ought. What do I do about that? - Pastor and Author Ray C. Stedman

God is unpredictable - when we think he should heal someone, he calls them home to glory. When we think he should provide us a job, he sends not a career, but helps to stretch our savings. When we think God should deliver us, he allows us to sit and remain - to learn. When we think he should go left, sometimes God goes straight or even side to side. But, whatever we think, whatever we predict, we can rest assured, God's ways are not always expected. God's ways are not always what we want at the time. God's ways are God's ways and not our ways. And, thank goodness!

We have an us sized picture of life - we are limited by our space, our time, our emotions, our dreams... But God has a God sized picture of life - He is limitless, dreams the impossible and makes the impossible come to light.

In Isaiah 55:8, we read a declaration from the Lord, "for your ways are not my ways and your thoughts are not my thoughts." God's ways are far from ordinary - they are extraordinary! His ways can calm a sea, resurrect a man, heal the blind, and die on a cross for our sins.

So, why is it that we often put God in a box, an us shaped box, and hope He sticks to our plans? We need to realize that God is God. We are not. God reigns - He knows. And, we don't. We need to expect God to intervene, but leave the interventions up to Him. After all, God has a view of whats to come and we can only see in the right now.

So next time God allows the unexplainable, the unpredictable, the unimaginable, just think - its not what I thought would happen - Thank goodness - its God!


"Come all you who are thirsty, come to the waters..." Isaiah 55:1