Uh,oh. I failed that test miserably and reaped the sour consequences! At a doctor’s appointment recently, I went into the encounter with anger in my heart. This particular doctor has been harsh and pugnacious in the past and I wanted the best care for my sick husband. I went into Mama Bear mode from the first interchange with the doctor’s overbearing nurse even before seeing the doctor. Poor Husband had to call me out because I was out of line. My us-against-them attitude brought out the negative in the nurse. Sure enough, the doctor not only lived up to my fears but surpassed them. But how much of his cruel monologue was a reaction to my negativity? My anger didn’t fix an already bad situation. It just made it harder for dear Husband and it stole sleep and joy from me. I wasn’t thinking or acting as if my God is in control and protecting his children. My thoughts weren’t higher, God thoughts of mercy and pardon. They were human, reactive, angry thoughts.
“Let them turn to the Lord, and he will have mercy on them,
and to our God, for he will freely pardon.
For my thoughts are not your thoughts,
neither are your ways my ways,”
declares the Lord.
“As the heavens are higher than the earth,
so are my ways higher than your ways
and my thoughts than your thoughts.” Isaiah 55:7-9
I should have learned from dear Husband’s stay in the hospital a few days before when we had gotten a clear lesson in how to be happy by thinking according to God’s thoughts. At the outset of his hospital stay, we decided to look for all the ways God was providing for us and be thankful.* Part of that decision meant that we expressed gratitude to the men and women who cared for us. We made it a point to say ‘Thank You’ to every person who served us. We asked them a little about themselves in order to appreciate them as individuals, not just a nurse, or another aid, or a faceless janitor. We got to hear stories, make friendships, and be happier because we honored them as unique individuals like God does.
What are God’s thoughts and ways that he has communicated to us?
God is loving and he commands us to be loving.
The two greatest commands are:
Love the Lord your God with all your heart, mind, soul, and strength. Deuteronomy 6:4,5
Love your neighbor as yourself. Leviticus 19:18
We often throw the word ‘Love’ around willy-nilly. God knew we humans would need specific guidelines for expressing true, deep love so he gave his chosen people 10 rules for living which was the basis of his covenant with them. The first four commands dealt with their relationship with God followed by the next six commands which dealt with their relationships with each other. God knew that obeying these commands would bring his people happiness and peace.
When Jesus lived on the earth, he was the perfect example of obeying the Love Rule. He loved his Father so much that he gave up the rights he had as the Son of God and stooped to become the Son of Man. He didn’t cling to his privileges but served people to the point of letting them kill him. He knew his death would atone for all the sins of mankind and he was willing to pay that price for us.
“You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had.
Though he was God, he did not think of equality with God as something to cling to.
Instead, he gave up his divine privileges;
he took the humble position of a slave
and was born as a human being.
When he appeared in human form,
he humbled himself in obedience to God
and died a criminal’s death on a cross.”
Philippians 2:5-8
His original twelve followers and Paul taught that we show our love for God by loving others. They often wrote instructions to the churches about how to live lovingly.
“… agreeing wholeheartedly with each other, loving one another, and working together with one mind and purpose. Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.” Philippians 2:2-4
Thought tests: Am I following the Love Rule?
Is my thinking right now going to contribute to someone’s well-being? (even including my own!)
Is my attitude Godward? Is my heart turned to God wholeheartedly in faith that he is keeping his promises? 
“… my word that goes out from my mouth:
It will not return to me empty,
but will accomplish what I desire
and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.
You will go out in joy
and be led forth in peace;
the mountains and hills
will burst into song before you,
and all the trees of the field
will clap their hands.
Instead of the thornbush will grow the juniper,
and instead of briers the myrtle will grow.
This will be for the Lord’s renown,
for an everlasting sign,
that will endure forever.” Isaiah 55:11-13
When we let God’s thoughts be our thoughts and we adopt his ways as our ways we will experience joy and peace. “my word that goes out from my mouth . . . It will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it. You will go out in joy and be led forth in peace.” His words accomplish our joy and achieve our peace according to these verses. God wants to give us true happiness and peace as we embrace his Word. By thinking his higher thoughts and living his higher way, we receive his joy and peace.
We’ll be surprised by happy things coming into our everyday lives. Everywhere we look, we’ll see the goodness of the Lord. “Go out with joy”
We’ll be able to hear the peaceful songs of the mountains and hills singing God’s praises. You will be “led forth in peace; the mountains and hills will burst into song before you”
We’ll be able to perceive Nature as an expression of the joy of God. “All the trees of the field will clap their hands.”
Our loving obedience will cause good things to grow in our lives. “Instead of the thornbush- juniper, instead of briers- myrtle”
This joy and peace from him will result in God getting the honor he deserves… forever. “This will be for the Lord’s renown, for an everlasting sign, that will endure forever.”
*that happy, grateful story is here: https://heartmindsoulandstrength.com/2024/07/basketfuls/