When He Does Not Make Sense

“And Elisha sent a messenger unto him, saying, Go and wash in Jordan seven times, and thy flesh shall come again to thee, and thou shalt be clean. But Naaman was wroth, and went away, and said, Behold, I thought, He will surely come out to me, and stand, and call on the name of the Lord his God, and strike his hand over the place, and recover the leper. Are not Abana and Pharpar, rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel? may I not wash in them, and be clean? So he turned and went away in a rage. And his servants came near, and spake unto him, and said, My father, if the prophet had bid thee do some great thing, wouldest thou not have done it? how much rather then, when he saith to thee, Wash and be clean? Then went he down, and dipped himself seven times in Jordan, according to the saying of the man of God: and his flesh came again like unto the flesh of a little child, and he was clean. And he returned to the man of God, he and all his company, and came, and stood before him: and he said, Behold, now I know that there is no God in all the earth, but in Israel: now, therefore, I pray thee, take a blessing of thy servant.” – 2 Kings 5:10-15

The above Bible verse is a story of a Syrian captain. The Scriptures called him a captain, a great man, and honorable but with a disability known as leprosy. Captain Naaman was tormented by a defaming illness despite his magnificent achievement. Since this illness was tarnishing his image, he was ready to seek all available help. However, the instruction from the man of God caught him by a big surprise. It makes no sense that a rich and influential man would get his healing by washing himself in a lowly river. He became angry and disappointed because the prophet’s instruction requires his humility and submission to the way of God. Despite his fuzziness, his healing never came until he put aside his pride and submit to the Almighty God.

This story is filled with great lessons for us. If you desire a breakthrough and blessing from God,

Put aside pride – Pride makes us believe we are better than others and could make us lose our blessings. Proverbs 16:18 Pride goeth before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall.

Do things in God’s way and not your way. When we ask God for something, we should learn to leave ourselves open because we never know which direction God would follow. Isaiah 55:8-9 For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith 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.

Be humble – No matter the position you hold, be humble enough to listen to others. A boss, parents, teacher, pastor, supervisor, etc. Be humble. Let people around you be comfortable speaking to you, sprouting from a good relationship. We all have something to contribute to one another’s life.

God rewards complete obedience – When we submit in total obedience to God, whatever he does is complete. 1st Samuel 15:22 And Samuel said, Hath the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams.

God works with your faith – Naaman’s faith was a strong one that Jesus talked about him in Luke 4:27 And many lepers were in Israel in the time of Eliseus the prophet; and none of them was cleansed, saving Naaman the Syrian. Hold unto your faith and put it to work always.

Therefore, as we continue to meditate on these lessons, let us with total submission follow God in faith and our expectations shall not be cut short.