Higher Than Our Ways
Daily Rays of Hope #115
When We Trust God's Plan Over Our Own
Today’s Scripture:
“Now the Lord provided a huge fish to swallow Jonah, and Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights.”
— Jonah 1:17 (NIV)
God’s ways often defy our understanding. He moves in unexpected ways. He leads through unknown paths. And sometimes, He allows uncomfortable circumstances to reroute us into His divine will. The story of Jonah is not just about a man who ran away. It is about a God who loves deeply enough to correct, redirect, and restore.
Jonah was a prophet. He knew the voice of God. Yet when God gave him a command to go to Nineveh and preach repentance, Jonah fled in the opposite direction. He allowed personal feelings and limited understanding to cloud his obedience. Like many of us, Jonah believed he knew better. But Isaiah 55:8-9 reminds us, “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.” God sees what we cannot. He understands what we do not. He knows what is best for us, even when we disagree.
Jonah’s disobedience landed him in a storm and ultimately in the belly of a great fish. What looked like punishment was actually preservation. The fish was not the end. It was God’s divine intervention to give Jonah time, space, and mercy to turn his heart back to the Lord. Sometimes, the places we think are holding us back are actually holding us together until we are ready to move in God’s direction. Romans 8:28 assures us, “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.”
In the belly of the fish, Jonah prayed. He repented. He acknowledged that salvation comes from the Lord. That moment of surrender turned everything around. God caused the fish to release Jonah onto dry land, and Jonah went on to fulfill the assignment he originally resisted. The lesson is clear. When we stop leaning on our own understanding and start trusting God's instruction, we align with something far greater than our own plans. Proverbs 3:5-6 says, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.”
There is no situation too broken or too lost for God to redeem. What others see as failure, God can use for a foundation. What we consider delay, God often uses for development. Even when we have messed up, God’s mercy finds us. He provides a way back to purpose. Jonah’s story is proof that God does not give up on us. Even in our rebellion, He pursues us with relentless grace.
If you are in a place that feels uncomfortable or uncertain, take heart. God may be preparing you for something greater. Do not resist His redirection. Instead, surrender to His voice and trust His path. What seems impossible now may become the very testimony that transforms lives in the days ahead.
Three Practical Ways to Seek the Will of God Daily and Walk Out This Scripture:
Start Your Day With Prayer and Listening.
Spend quiet time each morning in the presence of God. Ask for His guidance, then listen with an open heart. He still speaks to those who are willing to hear.Stay Rooted in the Word of God.
Read scripture daily, especially when you are unsure or afraid. The Word will anchor your decisions and illuminate the path God is calling you to follow.Be Quick to Obey, Even When It Does Not Make Sense.
When God speaks, respond with faith. Trust that His understanding reaches far beyond what you can see, and that He is leading you to something greater than you imagined.
You may not understand the season you are in. You may feel like Jonah in the belly of the fish. But trust this: God is working all things together for your good. His ways are higher, His thoughts are greater, and His love is unshakable. Let go of your plan and step into His. There, you will find peace, purpose, and power.