Lessons from the mud

Naaman was an army commander; a capable and composed man. But then he got sick, and didn't feel either of those (read 2 Kings 5). And he was told that the way he'd get healed was by jumping in a muddy river! This made him very angry. No matter how desperate he was for healing, Naaman was too proud to do something he felt was beneath him. He could see the easy way (having someone lay their hands on him and pray), and couldn't accept that his healing was through a mucky, more difficult route.

Sometimes God does what he does, in exactly the way that he does, on purpose. Actually, scratch that. God always does what he does for a reason. Ecclesiastes 3:1, right: 'There is a right time for everything'? God has a solid plan. Even when the plan doesn't look like we expect it to, it's solid. Going back to Naaman: when he got back from his ego trip and did what God instructed, he got to progress to what he'd been promised - he was healed. That's a lesson we can all do with learning.

Do we find ourselves getting annoyed when progress doesn't go the way we planned? Especially if it means we have to make more of an effort? Despite our complaining and indignation, this is the reality: 'Trust the Lord with all your heart, and do not rely on your own understanding' (Proverbs 3:5 GWT).



So what now? Pray: ask God to build trust, grace and obedience in you, even in the muddy times.





— SCRIPTURE —

'Do not rely on your own understanding.' Proverbs 3:5 GWT
— SOULFOOD —

Acts 12-13, Matt 4:1-7, Ps 16, Pro 11:1-2