His Ways are not My Ways

“For my thoughts are not your thoughts,
    neither are your ways my ways,” declares the Lord.
“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

Tony Dungy says in his Uncommon devotional, “God calls us to be faithful, not ‘successful.’”  God does call us to be faithful, but my view of success has to not be the world’s view of success.  I believe I can be very successful, in the parameters of my faith in God, and faithful.  The world may not deem my life successful in accordance with their terms, but how could they since they are using a different measurement. 

Dungy continues, “The only thing that’s really important is that His purposes are accomplished.  He wants hearts to change – including ours – and lives to be impacted, even when the results aren’t visible to anyone.”  In my limited study of Jesus, it is apparent to me that He had no other purpose except the spiritual condition of mankind.  In all His interactions with people, He continually taught and spoke in terms of how they might could see God more clearly.  And His death was so all people could have access to the same Father that taught Him, led Him, spoke with Him, and was with Him. 

By the world’s standards, Jesus didn’t rule anything, He didn’t conquer any lands (visible), He didn’t write anything down, He just lived and died and a lot of people wrote about Him.  But by God’s standard, He rules above all, He conquered death and Satan, He poured Himself into the disciples who lived His message and wrote it down and it remains over 2,000 years later as the most popular book on the planet, and He died and rose again for all mankind.

If I can pour the qualities of Christ into a person through teaching and example, no one will write about it, but I believe I will have been very successful.  And so much more if it is two or even more.  My purpose is to be a failed man with a faith in a God who cannot and will not fail.  I am to take Him my weakness, and receive His peace.  I am to know that He has a purpose for all to know Him and I am to put my eyes and heart on Him and show others.  His way is to use a broken vessel and I have to trust Him with me.