Not What It Seems

Before reading this devotional please read 2 Kings 5:1-19. It is imperative that you read this passage, because this devotional is about Naaman’s healing. Therefore you need to read the passage in order to understand the message.

Throughout our faith walk we all have experienced the move of God. If you haven’t, do not worry. The more you get to know God, the more He will reveal himself to you. During my faith journey, the Lord has spoken to me about things that I am currently waiting for to happen. Honestly speaking, I have envisioned how the Lord will make those things come to pass in my life. Brothers and sisters, I tell you to not be like me. For one, the Lord tells us, 8 “My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways” saith the LORD. 9 “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). The Lord knows far more than we do, and He knows what is best for us. So oftentimes, when we try to figure out a prophecy, we 99.9999% of the time get it wrong. 

Side note: Go back and read 2 Kings 5:1-19 because I know some of you did not.

Naaman is a skillful commander, who unfortunately has leprosy. If you don’t know, leprosy is a skin disease that made a person classify as unclean back in the biblical days. In verse 9, Naaman seeks the help of the prophet Elisha. Elisha tells Naaman the following, 10 But Elisha sent a messenger out to him with this message: “Go and wash yourself seven times in the Jordan River. Then your skin will be restored, and you will be healed of your leprosy” (2 Kings 5:10).  In verse 11, Naaman is so offended by Elisha’s request that he decides to go back home. 

Now this is very important, so read closely. 13 But his officers tried to reason with him and said, “Sir, if the prophet had told you to do something very difficult, wouldn’t you have done it? So you should certainly obey him when he says simply, ‘Go wash and be cured!’” 14 So Naaman went down to the Jordan River and dipped himself seven times, as the man of God had instructed him. And his skin became as healthy as the skin of a young child, and he was healed! (2 Kings 5:13-14). 

Beloved, if you are so focused on how you think the Lord will move in your life, you will miss Him entirely. Naaman almost missed out on his healing, because he fell in love with how he thought the Lord would heal him. Isn’t that something? Naaman got upset because the Lord did not heal him the way he thought he should be healed. Beloved, stop putting God in your own personal box. He is God and God alone. He does not need your guidance on how He should operate in your life. If you are not careful, you will miss your healing, job opportunity, or whatever the Lord has in store for you.

Now that we are in the new year, let us move forward in allowing God to be God in our lives. Let us not conjecture how the Lord will make a way in our lives. 

Prayer: Heavenly Father, I ask that you lead and guide me always. Lord forgive me for trying to be my own shepard. Lord your ways are higher than my ways, your thoughts are higher than my thoughts. Help me to trust in you, even when I may not understand.

In Jesus name, Amen.