Higher Thoughts

“For my thoughts are not your thoughts,

    neither are your ways my ways,”

declares the Lord.

 “As the heavens are higher than the earth,

    so are my ways higher than your ways

    and my thoughts than your thoughts.   Isaiah 55:8-9

This verse is pretty much my mantra right now. For several reasons.

1.       God is so large and all knowing, that it is laughable for me to think I know better or that I could have it all figured out.

Just a quick example. This past week Justin and I have had some weird money issues going on. I accidentally tithed DOUBLE the amount we had set aside to give. Now I am not telling you this part to brag on us for tithing, but only to show the glory of God and the smallness of us. When I  realized that I had paid our online tithe for  double the amount we had planned to give,  I was a little upset =(

We are trying to do the Dave Ramsey budget thing….  And my slip up threw everything out of wack. I was really frustrated!

looking back that seems so dumb. I was mad because I had accidentally given God double the amount of HIS MONEY?? And therefore it threw MY budget out of wack ??( It’s all his anyway!! I was for sure operating in the flesh, but I digress)

We made through the week before payday just fine. We were totally provided for and wanted not. In a strange, peaceful way =)

Then as Payday rolled around, there was an issue with my check. I wasn’t able to deposit it until today (the Monday after our Friday payday.)

As you can imagine, that threw a dent in our weekend plans for grocery shopping , etc. Once again cue stress mode from me!!! Woe is us! Our luck is rotten!

We were once again provided for with everything we needed.

And then, it all wound up being a blessing in disguise. Our debit card information was apparently stolen. This
Saturday someone tried to make a purchase with our card. Thankfully, the purchase didn’t go through because the account had insufficient funds for that amount!!! (because my check wasn’t deposited and because we tithed double) WOW I truly believe that God used my mix-up to both serve his purposes and to save us from being harmed by an evil act.

The purchase was suspicious to our debit card company. They called us and we were able to shut the card down before any more purchases could be attempted!!

This is just one small, real life example of how complex and interwoven life is. We truly have no idea what God is doing or why he allows things to happen. Things that seem bad (like our small $ incident) or even larger situations, like a loved one dying, can be part of something much bigger that God is working for greater good.

When I assume that I know it all, I am being soooo foolish.

As a recovering NIA (know it all) as Justin affectionately calls me, I am working so hard in this season to understand that in reality, I know NOTHING.

My GPA, honors status, crap means NOTHING. Because without God’s grace I would be completely lost, hurting, and alone.

A lesson that it took me awhile to learn and that I am still learning.  Makes me want to fall on my face and remember my smallness.

“As the heavens are higher than the earth,

    so are HIS ways higher than MY ways

    and HIS thoughts than MY thoughts”

Amen