Behold, I Thought
Submitted by Scott K. Miller, Associate Pastor
Victory Baptist Temple, Piedmont, MO
May 22, 2025
2Ki 5:11 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.
In today’s Scripture we read that Naaman had some preconceived ideas concerning how his healing was going to take place. “Oh, how grand the healing will be in front of all my servants,” he imagined, “The man of God will wave his hand over the spot, utter a few words, and ‘Shazam’ the leprosy will vanish! My servants will cheer; I’ll give the prophet a gift from Syria, and we’ll be on our way back home!”
How disappointing was it then, when Elisha’s servant came out and frankly told the great Syrian captain to go wash seven times in the Jordan River in order to experience his healing.
“What??” “That’s not how I thought it would happen!” Angered, because the “healing service” didn’t happen his way, he left in a rage!
What about our thoughts? Throughout life, we each have imagined what we will become, whom we will marry, where we will live, etc. Yet, how many of those thoughts, along with others, have actually become reality? I’d say few. No one really lives “Happily ever after.” Have you become sullen or angry because of it?
Our thoughts—vain, selfish, proud—are totally the opposite of God’s. In Isaiah 55:8, the LORD states that His thoughts and ways are much higher and far exceed our own.
In Naaman’s case, for him to experience healing from leprosy he had to forsake his thoughts and obey the Word of God. When he did so at the urging of his servants, he became whole, both physically and spiritually (vv. 15 and 17). Obeying the Word of the Lord (His thoughts) always leads to humility over haughtiness.
Naaman’s thoughts concerning how the healing would take place would have never changed him spiritually—God’s way did!
Here’s the application: In life’s circumstances, obey the Word of God rather than leaning on your own understanding (or imaginations). That way, you’ll never be disappointed or angered because something didn’t turn out the way you thought it would!
Consider – Gracious uncertainty is the mark of the spiritual man. He has learned that God’s thoughts and ways are always better than his own. He’s content with that.
