Our Scripture for today is 2 Kings 5:11:
Naaman went away angry and said, “‘I thought that he would surely come out to me and stand and call on the name of the Lord his God, wave his hand over the spot and cure me of my leprosy.’”
Naaman was a great general, wealthy, and admired. He had everything, but he also had leprosy—a disease with no cure and a painful death. Upon hearing about a prophet who might heal him, Naaman went to see him. However, when God’s servant told him what to do, “Naaman went away angry.”
He needed God’s help, and God offered it, but Naaman stormed off because the help wasn’t what he expected. People still do that today!
We ask God for help and then get upset when the help isn’t what we had in mind. Naaman was happy for God to handle his problem but had already decided how God should do it. He wanted a dramatic display—the waving of hands and calling on God’s name—not a simple act like dunking in the Jordan River. He thought he knew better than God how things should be done.
There’s a bit of Naaman in each of us. Sometimes we pray for God’s help, but then we tell Him what needs to be done and how to do it. Even when we don’t say it out loud, we have an idea in our minds of how He should act.
Real trust simply says, “Help,” and leaves the rest to God.
I’m Lonnie Davis, and these are thoughts worth thinking.