12 Disciplines of a Grateful Heart

Part 6

Turn your attention from your problems to God’s priorities

At times our problems seem so insurmountable, and we can’t see how any of it can be working for our good. But thankfully, God sees the big picture, He has 20/20 vision and He sees into the future and knows what’s best for us. He knows what good our problems can accomplish in our lives. He sees our beginning and our ending all at once. What a comforting thought that is.

The difficult thing for us to do is to turn our attention away from our difficulties and focus entirely on God and His priorities. We know that His ways are not our ways. There will be times when we don’t understand why God allows certain things in our lives. Many times, we are called upon to give up our plans, and just follow Him. Our plans may seem important and well thought out, but they may not be His plans.

Romans 11:33

 O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God!

how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out!

This verse stresses the fact that God has all wisdom and knowledge. His judgments are unsearchable. We can’t even begin to grasp His ways and the workings of His mind. It is our job to blindly put our faith in Him and follow Him wherever He leads. We shouldn’t stress ourselves to try and find out His ways, as they are past finding out. They are impossible to understand.

It’s easy to get caught up following our little agenda and thinking that what we’ve planned is the only way. But we must remember that we are on this earth to do God’s will and not our own. Praise God that He is omniscient (all knowing) and He sees far off into the distance and He will do what’s best for us.

Despite how we may feel, despite the doubts we may have, our obedience is more important than anything and God’s rewards are better than any earthly rewards we can receive.

If God knows our beginning and our end and loves us with an everlasting love, why would He steer us the wrong way and take us down a path that is wrong for us? He wouldn’t! It’s us that takes ourselves down the wrong path, stubbornly refusing to do God’s will, setting our own high-minded priorities, contrary to what God would have us do. And we wonder why our lives turn out so messed up. If only we would turn our attention off our own problems and plans and focus on what God would have us do, and follow His perfect plan, our lives would be a lot more peaceful.

So, how does this discipline of a grateful heart fit in? Paul Thigpen puts it like this:

“Jesus gave the Father thanks for His last meal just hours before the horrible death He knew what was waiting (Mt. 26:26). How could He be grateful for such a seemingly small thing when He was about to endure such suffering? Jesus could be grateful because He saw the bigger picture of God's plan 

John 13:3 Jesus knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands,

and that he was come from God, and went to God;

 Because of that perspective, Jesus could give thanks for a Last Supper that would establish the glorious new covenant He had come to make possible.”

He saw the bigger picture and because of that, He was able to give thanks to God and do the will of His father.

Now, we don’t see God’s master plan, but we can still give thanks for what God brings into our lives, knowing that God loves us and will always do what is best for us. His priorities may not line up with our ideas and our plans, but His plans are always perfect. And our hearts should flow with gratitude to Him.

There are so many times that God keeps us from the harm that would have befallen us had we continued on the path we were set on taking. But He takes us down a different road, because He knows what lies ahead. Praise God for the twists and turns He encourages us to take. The straight road we have planned for ourselves may look easy, but the winding path He takes us on is the better path. It leads to a better destination. One we may not have considered, but one that has eternal value.

Proverbs 3:5-6

Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.

 In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.

Give God praise and let thankfulness flow from your lips. For His ways are not our ways and His thoughts not our thoughts. What a comfort it is to know that God doesn’t think like us. He doesn’t have our human frailty, our failings, our poor vision. We can turn our attention away from our problems and focus on the priorities He has for us. Only then will we know His peace.  

When my way seems dark and drear and the future I don’t know,
My heart feels so empty as the tears unending flow.
When my heart breaks with sorrow and a tempest fills my soul,
This one thing I know for sure: my God is in control.

His way is perfect, His way is perfect.
Though I don’t understand His wise and loving plan,
His way is perfect. His way is perfect.
Take my life and make a vessel purified.
God makes no mistakes, His way is best.

When the toils of life are come and my heart is worn with care,
I faint ‘neath the burden of a cross I cannot bear.
When the joy has departed from my sorrow stricken soul,
This one thing I know for sure: my God is in control.

His way is perfect, His way is perfect.
Though I don’t understand His wise and loving plan,
His way is perfect. His way is perfect.
Take my life and make a vessel purified.
God makes no mistakes, His way is best.

Wilds Music.