I wish my mind would remain focused on true and excellent things. Unfortunately, it doesn’t. Often I jump to the worst possible scenarios and outcomes. Thoughts are definitely a struggle.
For example, a few days ago I received a phone call from someone with authority in my life. I didn’t answer right away fearing the worst. What was wrong? What did I do or say that deserved a call when a text or e-mail would usually suffice?
Finally working up the courage to return the call, I discovered it was no big deal. All those ideas pinging around in my head were nowhere close to reality.
It was the same with a text message received. (Let me just say texts are the worst. We read the words on the screen in our own voice with the inflection and intent as we think it is written- sure pathway for disaster).
This particular text was completely innocent, yet the more the words replayed in my head, the angrier I became. Multiple retorts and conversations played out over the next few hours (all in my head) until I realized how ridiculously foolish I was behaving.
I do this all the time.
It’s frustrating!
Every thought comes with a choice. We can choose to dwell, obsess, and analyze each part of the thought, or we can be obedient to 2 Corinthians 10:4-5, “For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds. We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ.”
What if we weighed every thought that had the means of crippling our movement forward against the thoughts of God?
“…whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, thank about these things. What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me – practice these things and the God of peace will be with you.” Philippians 4:8-9
Changing our thoughts (and our reactions to thoughts) requires practice. Many hours of training and repetition accompany acquired skills. How do we practice? When the thought first enters our mind we SHAKE IT OFF! The longer we allow the thought to fester and grow, the harder it becomes to forget about it.
Shaking it off immediately allows us to hand it over to the only One capable of dealing with it correctly. We say, “Lord, take this thought and make it obedient to Your Word.”
If we allow the thought to slither back in, shake it off again. Repeat until we truly give it all over to Him.
He will keep us in perfect peace when our mind is stayed on Him. (Isaiah 26:3)
Let the practice begin….
immediately more:
Read the following scriptures and write out everything you discover about wind:
- Psalms 78:39
- Jeremiah 22:22
- Jeremiah 49:36
- Ezekiel 37:9
- Daniel 7:2
- Zechariah 2:6
- Matthew 24:31
- Revelation 7:1
The reason, more often than not, isn’t to deceive their partner but for the simple reason that they won’t be anyone at a home address during the day and night. cheap tadalafil tablets While most medicinal branches are based upon biology – the study opening levitra in canada with a comprehension of the anatomy as well as sexual weakness. The first time was in 2005 after the bulk of developers left Mambo to join Joomla – I think soft tab cialis perhaps I was the only person not to follow and continued using Mambo CMS. Prolonged unilateral sacral drag leads tadalafil 20mg for sale appalachianmagazine.com to ligament hypermobility, inflammation and sacroiliac imbalance…
Read the following passage and create a list of instructions Jesus gives the disciples.
- Matthew 10: 1-15
In your own words, what does Jesus mean by “shake off the dust of your feet”?
Is there an area in your life right now that needs some dust shaking?
