His Thoughts Are Not Our Thoughts
Isaiah 58:8 (NLT), My thoughts are nothing like your thoughts,” says the LORD “And My ways are far beyond anything you could imagine.”
The Bible tells us that God’s thoughts are not our thoughts. I want this to sink in for us.
What are our thoughts in a day, thoughts about life, about work, about relationships, about our circumstances? From a study I read about in Newsweek, we have an average of 6,200 thoughts a day. And yet, out of those 6,200 thoughts, none of them measure up or even come close to God’s thoughts.
John 8:36 (NLT),So if the Son sets you free, you are truly free. This scripture specifically comes to my mind because so often our thoughts hold us captive. Thoughts like, “I can’t” or “I’ll never be able to do this.”
2 Corinthians 3:5 says, It is not that we think we are qualified to do anything on our own. Our qualifications come from God.
1 Samuel 30:8 (NLT),Then David asked the LORD, “Should I chase after this band of raiders? Will I catch them?”
Deuteronomy 31:6 (NLT),So be strong and courageous! “Do not be afraid and do not panic before them! For the LORD your God will personally go ahead of you. He will neither fail you nor abandon you.”
The take away from these scriptures: 1. What we accomplish is not of our own doing or strength. We are qualified by and through God. 2. David sought the Lord on what to do. So we should do likewise. The Bible tells us to seek Him with all our hearts and to not lean on our own understanding. 3. With God leading you on what to do, He will go before you and make a way. His faithful promises are a shield and armor to us. He alone is our source of strength, our strong tower, our place of refuge.
Another lie that our minds seem to be captive to is “Nobody loves me.” We all have people in our lives that love us. Unfortunately as human beings our love is flawed. But with God, His agape love is perfect.
1 John 4:18-19 (NLT) Such love has no fear, because perfect love expels all fear. If we are afraid, it is for fear of punishment, and this shows that we have not fully experienced His perfect love. We love each other because He first loved us.
John 3:16 (NLT), God so loved the world: He gave His one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life.
As for our circumstances, God is all through our circumstances. This all depends on us. Do we trust God (Proverbs 3:5&6) to handle or guide us in our situation or are we going to put it in our own hands to handle?
God parted the Red Sea to save the Israelites from Egyptian captivity. God supplied manna from heaven so the children of Israel would not perish.
Matthew 6:25-30 (NIV), Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink, or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Can one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life? And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these.
My take away from these scriptures is this: 1. We do not have to be afraid. If we know God personally and have accepted Him into our hearts, if we have submitted our lives to Him and give Him complete trust, we should have nothing to fear. Fear comes from the enemy. He doesn’t want you to trust and believe that God would love you so much to supply all your needs, to heal all your wounds, to set you free from your “Egypt.” 2. Our God is a redeemer! He gave His only Son for you, for me! Without Jesus to take on our iniquity we would be condemned to an eternal hell and misery. Jesus is the light of the world. He brings us hope where we had none. He is healer, redeemer, provider, sustainer, giver of good gifts, and so much more…the lover of our souls. 3. We should not worry about the things of this world. We should not depend on ourselves. We are required to take a step of faith. In that step of faith, God will do what He does best. He will love, supply, and guide His children in the path of truth and righteousness.
Remember that God’s thoughts are not our own. God is an infinite God. That means that His love for us infinite. We cannot even begin to understand the depths of His love. We cannot even begin to understand the life that He has for His children who love Him, who serve Him, who honor Him. God is a good God. He loves you, and by His grace, He qualifies you to the life and purpose He has called you to!
1 Peter 2:9 (ESV), But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for His own possession that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.
© 2021 Leslie Wittenmyer—All rights reserved