Wise Up — Stop the Spiral

Read

Isaiah 55:8–9 “‘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.’”

Think

We all go there. The mental spiral. It usually starts with something small—a setback, a delay, a painful comment. But then the questions start: “Why is this happening? Why me? What did I do wrong?” Before you know it, you’ve moved from one situation into a storm of assumptions and self-criticism. And the more you think, the worse it gets. Welcome to the emotional cul-de-sac—where thoughts circle endlessly but healing never arrives.

These spirals feel productive. Like we’re getting somewhere. Like if we just understand the pain, we can fix it or avoid it next time. But the truth is, asking “Why me?” rarely leads to clarity. It often leads to bitterness, comparison, or shame. It’s not that the question is wrong—it’s just that it’s not where God wants us to stay.

Isaiah 55 is a jarring but freeing reminder: God doesn’t think like we do. His logic isn’t bound by our limited perspective. What feels like chaos to us might actually be coordination from his view. What feels unfair might actually be mercy. What feels delayed might be exactly on time.  But that kind of perspective requires trust—especially when we don’t get the answers we want. Jesus never promised to explain everything. In fact, much of what he said required childlike faith, not airtight logic. And while God can handle our questions (read the Psalms—David asked plenty), he also invites us to release what we may never fully understand.

The danger of the spiral is that it keeps us focused inward. On our pain. Our assumptions. Our unmet expectations. But wisdom shifts the focus outward and upward. It says, “I don’t get it—but I don’t have to. I trust the One who does.” And that’s not blind optimism. That’s hard-won, battle-tested faith. It’s believing that God sees the full picture when all we see is a single frame. It’s choosing to believe that his silence isn’t absence, and his “no” isn’t neglect.

Here’s the thing: spiraling isn’t just exhausting. It’s expensive. It robs you of peace, presence, and perspective. It keeps you stuck rehearsing pain instead of releasing it. God doesn’t want you trapped in your own head. He wants you grounded in his truth. And while your thoughts may feel loud and convincing, they don’t always tell the truth. That’s why we’re told in Scripture to take every thought captive (2 Cor. 10:5), not just let them run wild.

So the next time your mind starts spinning, don’t go with it. Interrupt the pattern. Breathe. Pause. Remind yourself: “God’s ways are higher. His thoughts are better. And I don’t need all the answers to walk by faith.”

Apply

Think of one repeating thought or question that’s been spiraling in your head lately. Write it down. Then underneath, write a simple truth from Scripture or something you know to be true about God. Stick it on your mirror or dashboard. Let truth interrupt the spiral.

Pray

God, you know how easily my thoughts run wild. I want answers, but what I really need is trust. Help me release the questions I can’t solve and replace them with truth that anchors me. Your ways are higher. Teach me to rest in that today. In Jesus’ name. Amen.