My Thoughts Are Not Your Thoughts

Dear Reader,

This devotional was the first time I gave a devotional at the nonprofit I worked for. We typically do devotions every Wednesday ever since I first started there 5 years ago. The interesting story was a co-worker just stood and said, "Hey, we should co-lead a devotional." My immediate thought was, "umm, nope." But at the same time, God had already been working in my heart that week that I need to do more unfamiliar, uncomfortable, but necessary things so that I could continue to break the cycles of addiction that were keeping me from experiencing the grace and truth I was denying myself.

You forget sometimes why you choose to do things the way you do them. Why did I take that job? Well, I need a paycheck and I can tell you I told myself I was unqualified for responsibilities that were being asked for me. I still gave it my all though. Little did I know the trauma I would go through a few years later that caused me to question everything about myself and ultimately God. That is a story for another time though.

The bottom line though - I learned pretty quickly that putting in the work is so much harder than doing what is toxic. But I can tell you if you do it and stick with it - it is beyond life giving.

As you read this devotional, consider these questions...

1. What thoughts are circling through my head right now that I need to bring to the Lord?

2. Where are areas in my life that I try to keep from God because I believe I can resist the temptations on my own?

3. What is that the Lord is trying to reveal to me through this devotional?

May the Lord bless you with His abundant grace always,

Brandon

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Have you ever given any thought to what was going through the disciples minds and even Jesus’ mind during the stories that were written in the early ministry? I am fascinated by the psychology of Jesus because it’s so outside what we normally experience in the world. For me, I don’t enjoy the thoughts I think about at times because they can be hurtful, bitter, and definitely untrue. But when I think on the thoughts of Jesus, it brings me to a place where I can say, “I am loved, I am adored, I am forgiven, I am saved, I am a Child of God”. And the automatic negative thoughts just fall away.

One of the things I always remember is the scripture Isaiah 55:6-9

Seek the Lord while he may be found; call on him while he is near. 7 Let the wicked forsake their ways and the unrighteous their thoughts. Let them turn to the Lord, and he will have mercy on them, and to our God, for he will freely pardon.

8 “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the Lord. 9 “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.

Thank God that my thoughts are not his thoughts and ways are not his ways! If I lived without knowing I am thought higher than Earth, I would feel alone, isolated, and rejected. The exact things Satan wants to try and tell us.

Jesus’ ministry began after he was tested in the wilderness for the scripture says in Matthew 4:1-2

Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted[a] by the devil. 2 After fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry.

After Jesus resisted the temptations by the devil, he left him and the angels attended to him. The thing I think about is the thoughts that would be going through his mind to keep himself on track. Although he was 100% human, he is also 100% divine. So Jesus knows our thoughts, he’s experienced frustration, grief, worry, suffering, joy, peace so that we can be known and understood by God. Jesus took on our suffering so we can live in freedom knowing God sees us without sin. And we can know that when it comes to being tempted, we can choose to see it an opportunity to grow instead telling ourselves that we are disqualified from the blessings that will follow.

Jesus in the wilderness gave us the tools we’ll need to flee from the enemies arrows…

· God is our provider, not this world.

o God knows what’s best, not me.

o “Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.”

· Let go of what you can’t control and control what you can.

o God has the power, not me.

o “It is also written: ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’”

· Put God first in your life and elevate Him, not you.

o God deserves to be praised, not me.

o “Away from me, Satan! For it is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.’

What we do comes down to a choice. I had always thought that I am not good enough if I can’t go a day without doing something wrong, saying something wrong, or thinking something wrong. But because my thoughts are not his thoughts, and ways are not his ways, I can choose in those moments to redirect my thoughts, words, and actions on the one who has been tempted and resisted.

Even before he took our place on that Cross, he was led by the spirit into the wilderness to be TESTED by the devil. Why do you think that is? I am sure there is a theological answer out there, but to be honest, I am not well educated in that area. But I can speak from a heart place and tell you it was because this is what our walk is to look like after we surrender our life to God! Our journey will not just be clear path, but one that will lead into wildernesses to give us opportunities to depend on the Holy Spirit for protection. So in a way, what the enemy thinks is catching us off guard is actually strengthening our guard more. So will you choose to be encouraged when you are in the wilderness or will you choose the easy way out and give up?

I hope the first option is the only option every time. But just know that even if you make a mistake and trip up, His grace is sufficient for you and is there to strengthen you no matter what. For he has overcome the world.