Bishop Wills’ Life Journal Entry for February 5, 2008, “My Ways Are Not God’s Ways”

February 5, 2008
My Ways Are Not God’s Ways

S: Acts 12:15 (The Message)
But they would not believe her, dismissing her, dismissing her report they wouldn’t believe her and said, “It must be his angel.”

O: We pray but outward circumstances (the way we understand the world to work) keep us from believing when God does answer our prayers.

A: This has been true of me many times. I pray, but I really do not expect that God can do anything about the situation. Sometimes what God does is very different from my prayer for God always gives us what we need but not always what we want.

I think I know how the world works and how God works in this world. Then, for me, comes the test of faith. When God does act, do I give God the glory and praise or do I think it was just something “lucky” that happened?

The people in Acts were praying for Peter to be free. They thought God would answer their prayers by having Herod let Peter go, a free man. They were not expecting that God would act in such a different way. So, at first, they tended not to believe they did not believe the young woman who was saying that Peter was actually there.

God’s ways are not my ways. This is a lesson I am continually learning. Slowly I am beginning to accept the ways God chooses to act. My next step is to make sure to give God the praise and not just try to explain away what is happening in human terms and understanding.

P: Father thank you for this day. Help me to see you working in ways I do not understand nor anticipate. Help me to make sure to give you the praise and credit for all that is good this day. Love, Dick

Y: I will give up my understanding and look for God to work in ways that God chooses.