PEACE & JOY
'For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord. For 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
If we lived day to day with this verse driving our perspective on the days events, we would have a different outlook that would bring about deep joy brought about by the peace we can have in complete faith in God's ways in all situations. Our God is an omniscient (all-knowing) God that loves us unconditionally and wants us to achieve great things for Him. We get in the way of those plans when we focus on the present situations and an earthly focus.
Decreasing focus on ourselves is in stark contrast to what today's society promotes and our natural tendencies. However, there is great reward in shifting our focus. If we place complete faith in the sovereignty of God we will find a peace that comes only from the Holy Spirit. This means no matter the situation you can trust that God can work it out for good. The 'good' being good in the view of God, not necessarily what we may think is good based on our limited understanding and perspective.
The more we understand and meditate on who God is, the more we will follow will follow his direction. Not because we are following a set of rules, but because God's ways will lead us to true JOY and PEACE. When we lose faith in who God is and how all of His attributes work together, we tend to think we know better. This is obviously in direct opposite of what we understand from scripture, specifically in Isaiah 55:8,
Do we believe God's ways are better than ours?
Do we believe God wants what is best for us?
Are we willing to put aside your solutions for God's solutions?