I thought I would be walking across the stage this month receiving my degree after tirelessly putting in years of hard work but instead, we have a virtual graduation. I thought we were finally going to be tying the knot and getting married this summer but now, we have to push back our wedding date. I thought this quarantine would be over by now so I could reunite with my community but now, I have to wait another month. I thought my job was secure but my company just furloughed and released employees. I thought I would be exploring a new part of the world this year but I had to cancel my trip and reschedule everything. I thought that certain people in my life would check in on me more during a time like this but instead, I have not heard from them. These are all puzzling thoughts that have crossed thousands of people’s minds across the world over the last few months as we’ve faced what many are calling, a global pandemic.
This month, I believe that God wanted me to share with every reader, the importance in letting go of our puzzled thoughts. Puzzled thoughts are these ideas or perceptions in our mind of the way we desire for things to go in our life. When things don’t go the way we desire, we begin to feel a sense of frustration and confusion because we can’t understand or make sense out of why something did not work out the way we thought it would. In the bible, there is a man by the name of Naaman who was the commander of an army that belonged to the king of Aram. 2 Kings 5:1 NIV describes Naaman as “a great man in the sight of his master and highly regarded, because through him the Lord had given victory to Aram. He was a valiant soldier, but he had leprosy.
This month, I believe that God wanted me to share with every reader, the importance in letting go of our puzzled thoughts. Puzzled thoughts are these ideas or perceptions in our mind of the way we desire for things to go in our life. When things don’t go the way we desire, we begin to feel a sense of frustration and confusion because we can’t understand or make sense out of why something did not work out the way we thought it would. In the bible, there is a man by the name of Naaman who was the commander of an army that belonged to the king of Aram. 2 Kings 5:1 NIV describes Naaman as “a great man in the sight of his master and highly regarded, because through him the Lord had given victory to Aram. He was a valiant soldier, but he had leprosy.
A young girl from Israel served Naaman’s wife and after witnessing Naaman’s disease, one day she said to her “If only my master would see the prophet who is in Samaria! He would cure him of his leprosy (2 Kings 5:2-3 NIV).” After hearing the young girl’s words, Naaman immediately went to the king of Aram and told him what the young girl said. The king encouraged Naaman to go and even wrote a letter to the king of Israel for Naaman to take with him. As Naaman left, he took with him ten talents of silver, six thousand shekels of gold and ten sets of clothing (2 Kings 5:4-5 NIV). The letter that Naaman took to the king of Israel read:
- 6 “With this letter I am sending my servant Naaman to you so that you may cure him of his leprosy.” 7 As soon as the king of Israel read the letter, he tore his robes and said, “Am I God? Can I kill and bring back to life? Why does this fellow send someone to me to be cured of his leprosy? See how he is trying to pick a quarrel with me!” 8 When Elisha the man of God heard that the king of Israel had torn his robes, he sent him this message: “Why have you torn your robes? Have the man come to me and he will know that there is a prophet in Israel.” 9 So Naaman went with his horses and chariots and stopped at the door of Elisha’s house. 10 Elisha sent a messenger to say to him, “Go, wash yourself seven times in the Jordan, and your flesh will be restored and you will be cleansed.” 11 But Naaman went away angry and said, “I thought that he would surely come out to me and stand and call on the name of the Lord his God, wave his hand over the spot and cure me of my leprosy. 12 Are not Abana and Pharpar, the rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel? Couldn’t I wash in them and be cleansed?” So he turned and went off in a rage. 13 Naaman’s servants went to him and said, “My father, if the prophet had told you to do some great thing, would you not have done it? How much more, then, when he tells you, ‘Wash and be cleansed’!” 14 So he went down and dipped himself in the Jordan seven times, as the man of God had told him, and his flesh was restored and became clean like that of a young boy. 15 Then Naaman and all his attendants went back to the man of God. He stood before him and said, “Now I know that there is no God in all the world except in Israel (2 Kings 5:6-15 NIV).
Naaman’s puzzled thought almost kept him from being healed. After Elisha’s messenger told Naaman to go wash himself seven times in the Jordan, Naaman got angry because he thought that Elisha would come out to him and call on the name of the Lord his God, waving his hand over the spot and cure him of his leprosy. When things did not go the way that Naaman thought they would, he began to feel a sense of anger and confusion because he couldn’t understand or make sense out of why Elisha didn’t cure him the way he thought he should. It wasn't until Naaman’s servants came to him and spoke encouraging words of wisdom that he let go of his puzzled thought and obeyed the instructions that the man of God gave him.
This month, God wants you to release every puzzled thought. Not because puzzled thoughts are a sin but because puzzled thoughts often arise when we try to make practical sense out of something supernatural that God is trying to do in our lives. I need you to trust in God with all of your heart and lean not on your own understanding (Proverbs 3:5 NIV) because what God has in store for you will not make common sense. When it comes down to it, those puzzled thoughts are nothing more than misunderstandings on what God is truly trying to do for you in the moment. Trust in God at all times (Psalm 62:8 NIV) throughout the month of May because he knows the plans that he has for you in store (Jeremiah 29:11 NIV). That means it’s okay to not always understand or be able to make perfect sense out of why something in your life did not happen the way you thought it should happen. It’s not okay, to allow your puzzled thought to deter you from God’s instruction or keep you bound in a fixed frame of mind that limits God from blessing you. The Lord knows the thoughts of man and that they are futile (Psalm 94:11 NKJV) because his thoughts are not our thoughts, neither are our ways his ways (Isaiah 55:8 NIV).
To every individual that thought they would be walking across a stage this month to receive their degree, to the couples that thought they would finally be tying the knot and getting married this summer, to those of you who thought quarantine would be over by now, to the people who thought their jobs were secure, to those who thought they would be traveling exploring a new part of the world this year, to those of you who thought that certain people in your life would be checking in on you during this time, I want to let each one of you know that God has you exactly where he wants you to be in your life. Don’t stay stuck in a puzzled thought trying to wrap your mind around why something didn’t happen the way you thought it should, or become discouraged over your current circumstances. Instead, shift your mind to a new perspective that enables you to know that even when you don’t understand, because God rerouted your plan, there’s a miraculous breakthrough ahead.
This month, God wants you to release every puzzled thought. Not because puzzled thoughts are a sin but because puzzled thoughts often arise when we try to make practical sense out of something supernatural that God is trying to do in our lives. I need you to trust in God with all of your heart and lean not on your own understanding (Proverbs 3:5 NIV) because what God has in store for you will not make common sense. When it comes down to it, those puzzled thoughts are nothing more than misunderstandings on what God is truly trying to do for you in the moment. Trust in God at all times (Psalm 62:8 NIV) throughout the month of May because he knows the plans that he has for you in store (Jeremiah 29:11 NIV). That means it’s okay to not always understand or be able to make perfect sense out of why something in your life did not happen the way you thought it should happen. It’s not okay, to allow your puzzled thought to deter you from God’s instruction or keep you bound in a fixed frame of mind that limits God from blessing you. The Lord knows the thoughts of man and that they are futile (Psalm 94:11 NKJV) because his thoughts are not our thoughts, neither are our ways his ways (Isaiah 55:8 NIV).
To every individual that thought they would be walking across a stage this month to receive their degree, to the couples that thought they would finally be tying the knot and getting married this summer, to those of you who thought quarantine would be over by now, to the people who thought their jobs were secure, to those who thought they would be traveling exploring a new part of the world this year, to those of you who thought that certain people in your life would be checking in on you during this time, I want to let each one of you know that God has you exactly where he wants you to be in your life. Don’t stay stuck in a puzzled thought trying to wrap your mind around why something didn’t happen the way you thought it should, or become discouraged over your current circumstances. Instead, shift your mind to a new perspective that enables you to know that even when you don’t understand, because God rerouted your plan, there’s a miraculous breakthrough ahead.
Prayer:
Heavenly Father,
We love you and we honor you for blessing us with another month. As we begin to navigate throughout this new season, we ask that you cleanse and purify us from the inside out. We know that it is your glorious power that makes us strong, and because of your kindness, our strength increases daily (Psalm 89:17 CEV). Thank you for strength Lord, thank you that you’re in control and that your plans for us are always good. This month, we surrender our limited way of thinking into your hands and submit to your will. Help us to remember that even when something doesn’t make sense, your rerouted plan in our life is always better. Moving forward, let every puzzled thought be released in our lives as an indicator of your greater blessing and opportunity that lies ahead for us. Lord we trust in you forever knowing that you are an everlasting rock (Isaiah 26:4 NIV). In Jesus name we pray, amen.
Heavenly Father,
We love you and we honor you for blessing us with another month. As we begin to navigate throughout this new season, we ask that you cleanse and purify us from the inside out. We know that it is your glorious power that makes us strong, and because of your kindness, our strength increases daily (Psalm 89:17 CEV). Thank you for strength Lord, thank you that you’re in control and that your plans for us are always good. This month, we surrender our limited way of thinking into your hands and submit to your will. Help us to remember that even when something doesn’t make sense, your rerouted plan in our life is always better. Moving forward, let every puzzled thought be released in our lives as an indicator of your greater blessing and opportunity that lies ahead for us. Lord we trust in you forever knowing that you are an everlasting rock (Isaiah 26:4 NIV). In Jesus name we pray, amen.
Scriptures to Feed Yourself & Reflect On:
2 Kings 5:1-19 NIV
Proverbs 3:5 NIV
Psalm 62:8 NIV
Jeremiah 29:11 NIV
Psalm 94:11 NKJV
Isaiah 55:8 NIV
2 Kings 5:1-19 NIV
Proverbs 3:5 NIV
Psalm 62:8 NIV
Jeremiah 29:11 NIV
Psalm 94:11 NKJV
Isaiah 55:8 NIV