Tuesday, January 4: Isaiah 55:8-9

“For My thoughts are not your thoughts,

Nor are your ways My ways,” declares the Lord.

“For as the heavens are higher than the earth,

So are My ways higher than your ways

And My thoughts than your thoughts.”

Is God fair in answering prayers for some people and not for others?

Have you ever struggled with an unanswered prayer only to watch others have their prayers answered immediately? Maybe you have struggled with infertility or waited for a job promotion or a relationship and have been praying for an answer for years. Then someone else has the seemingly exact same prayer answered immediately. Whatever the situation, this circumstance can be frustrating.

Our default question to God is, “Why?” We want to know the reason He gave what we wanted to someone else and not to us, hoping the answer will help us make sense of it all. The problem is, even with all the answers or all the reasons, these things still may not make sense to us. Isaiah shows us that our thoughts and ways are not God’s. His ways are infinitely higher than ours. Often, our prayers reveal our desire for looking out for our own interest. Yet, God is working on the complete narrative of redeeming His creation. His plan and work are far greater than what we imagine.

His purposes and plans on the ins and out of our lives may be a mystery, but God has not left us completely in the dark. He has chosen to reveal who He is and how we ought to live in His Word. His Word reminds us that He ultimately isn’t concerned with our idea of “fairness” but His work of restoration. As a result, His ways are greater, and His plans go deeper than our temporary plans on earth. Will we rely on our gauge of fairness, considering our limited lifespan and perspective, or will we trust our eternal God and follow His unchanging plans?

• Have you ever had a moment where you asked God “why” when you compared your life to someone else? How does this verse encourage you for times like that?
• How does considering the complete narrative of God’s restoration help when you hit moments that seem unfair?
• Pray and thank God for the overall work of restoration that He is doing. Ask Him to help you keep your mind on His Kingdom and plan when you get caught up in hard moments.