To Encourage You

Isaiah 55:8-9 “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.”

How big is your God?  Well, however big you think He is, He is much greater still. How much do you think He knows about you?  Well, whatever you might think, He knows more still. How much love do you think He has? How much mercy? How much grace?  Whatever you think you know about these things, there is more to know still.  And not just a little bit.  He surpasses it all as the heavens are above the earth. 

So do you ever ponder such things? Do you ever sit and just dwell on them?  Do you take the time to dig down deep into them?  Do you do as the apostle Paul encouraged us to do as he languished in a Roman prison yet wrote the following words: “whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things” (Philippians 4:8).  You see, that’s what Paul was thinking about at that time. That’s how he endured his circumstances firm to the end.  Or are you thinking about the last baseball game you saw on TV, or some commercial jingo, or your car that needs fixed? Are you fixated on some problem you’re having, some difficulty at your work? Maybe there are other things you just can’t get off your mind, like a health or money issue, something like that.  Or perhaps you’re struggling with a relationship at home or with a neighbor or friend.  You see, all these things and more can be the focus of our thoughts.  It’s our natural tendency, to dwell on our problems or other mundane things. 

But for the believer that’s not all there is.  There are magnificent, high, wonderful things on which we can focus our minds. And whether it’s doing the dishes, making our bed, or any other thing that demands our attention and influences the thoughts of our mind, we can think of nothing more than the task or matter at hand or we can do what God has called us to, so that “whether (we) eat or drink, or whatever (we) do, (we) do (it) all to the glory of God” (1 Corinthians 10:31).  It’s all in what we choose to focus on. We can let our minds wander to who knows what, or we can be intentional in our thinking to the glory of God. 

And that’s what He wants for us.  That’s why He has given the believer the very “mind of Christ” (1 Corinthians 2:16).  That’s why He’s filled His Word with the knowledge of how He thinks.  That’s why He’s given us the resident Teacher, so that we can understand what He’s said.  But are we doing this? Are we going there? Are we pondering the greatness of the One called “Wonderful” (Isaiah 9:6), or are we satisfied to think on much lesser things?

You see, our loving God has called us to greater things.  He’s told us to “not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of (our) mind, that by testing (we) may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect” (Romans 12:2). It is always God’s will that we love Him with all our hearts, souls, MINDS, and strength. May God help us to love Him with how we think.