An appropriate attitude towards God

This week’s subject is on having a right attitude towards God when things don’t quite go our way. Many times we have good plans that just do not work out like we want them to. They may be excellent and God honoring plans. However I pray that we will remember that our ideas are not always in God’s will. It is important to remind ourselves that His infinite wisdom greatly surpasses ours. And if we are His, then He has eternal plans for us far greater than our usually short ranged plans we create in our finite minds.

If our plans are changed to our displeasure, I pray that we will bring it before the Lord in thankful prayer. We shouldn’t be devastated and attempt to distance ourselves from God, in the similitude of Jonah. Instead I pray that each one of us will say in truth with a joyful heart, “It is well with my soul.” In fact, H. G. Spafford wrote that hymn as he passed near the place where his four beloved daughters drowned a several weeks earlier. That kind of attitude is not something we can bring about by our own strength. And it certainly will not come about if we place our joy in anything less than Christ. We are weak and pathetic beings who can do no good thing of our own strength (Ro 3:10-18.) Righteousness is from God alone and we must daily die to ourselves and seek His strength to have such an attitude.

I am reminded of Kind David who constantly sought God (Ps 63.) David had plans that God changed. He desired to glorify God by building God’s holy temple, (2Sam 7.) God told David he would instead have the temple built by one of David’s children. David’s response was most appropriate, it is shown in 2Samuel 7:18-29. As you read the passage you can see how he humbly begins his prayer by thanking God for His goodness and mercy towards him and his family. He then ascribes glory to God, “…thou art great, O LORD God: for there is none like thee, neither is there any God beside thee…” You do not see King David angry with God because He rejected his plans, on the contrary, you see David overcome with joy. In God’s perfect plan He had chosen a son of David’s to build the holy temple.