Behold, I Thought

“Elisha sent a messenger to say to him, ‘Go, wash yourself seven times in the Jordan, and your flesh will be restored and you will be cleansed.’ But Naaman went away angry and said, ‘I thought that he would surely come out to me and stand and call on the name of the Lord his God, wave his hand over the spot and cure me of my leprosy.’ 2 Kings 5:10-11

Do we ever think God’s instructions to us are too simple, that there should be “more to it ”?

The Syrian army commander, Naaman, was powerful and successful, though burdened with leprosy. When a servant girl mentioned the prophet Elisha could cure him, Naaman sought him. But the cure was not at all what Naaman expected. He assumed Elisha himself would use great power and ceremony to dramatically take away the leprosy. It made him angry that he was told to wash seven times in the Jordan River instead. Not until he listened to the wisdom of his servant did he follow the prophet’s instructions and was made clean of his dreadful disease.

I have wanted to be a foreign missionary since I was sixteen years old but it has never been God’s will for me to serve him in that way. In my pride and desire for the praise of others, I “thought” I should be doing something “more important” than being a wife, mother, teacher, and neighbor. But that not only questions God’s wisdom — it also takes the spotlight off him and shines it elsewhere. When I did that, I no longer served God. I put my thoughts above his and served myself.

“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord” (Isaiah 55:8).

Even if God’s purpose for us is not what we “thought” it should be, he treasures our trust and our willingness to follow him. It is as simple as that.

Father in heaven, help me accept that your wisdom is so far above mine that I can’t know what’s best apart from you. Thank you for your mercy and guidance, and may I humbly submit my will to yours. Amen.

By Katie Huth Jones
Used by Permission