I have a doctor that every time we get together, of course he asks , "What's going on, why are you here?" This day it was my knee, this is what it feels like and he'll start to explain all the scientific reasons of what the knee does and what is going on with my knee. He will tell about the ligaments in the way it is designed and all the while I am thinking, that is all great but I'll tell you I can't walk out of there repeating word for word what he even said. The things that I can walk out of there with is, "You're going to be okay, I give you this treatment and just do this and this." I always have been a person to get to the point. So, as I write this I am not going to go through all the scientific functioning of the brain, how it has a fight or flight response. How you can become addicted to reacting to circumstances because your hormones are firing cortisol and now your training your brain to basically want and need those emotions. The reason why I do that is because Jesus explained simply in 1 Corinthians 10:5, in obedience to Him we are to captivate our thoughts, imagination thinking, impulsive thinking and into a life shaped by Christ and I say because this is simple, I mean even in Romans 12:1 and 2 we are called to renew our mind and not be conformed to the world. We gotta think about what is conforming me to the world and what does Jesus mean by renewing our mind with Him? My simple practices are all based on meditating on the words of God day and night, which He tells us to do. Meditate on the word, day and night. His word emphasizes that, He who began a work in me will carry it on to completion, Philippians 1:6. He constantly since the day we were born, has been drawing us near to His hear, Lean on Him for His understanding and not on our own, Proverbs 3:5-6 and He will make our path straight. It is all about seeking and loving Him with your whole body, mind and spirit. He keeps saying if you focus on me, I'll do the rest. So, the question to ask, "Do we believe, have we committed our lives to Him? Do we really truly love Him and if I am not really truly living Him, How do I fall in love with God?"
I lay in bed my mind goes to a situation where a friend's husband did not come home on time and continually did that. I think maybe he is not devoted. What can I tell her to do or not do? How can this be fixed? blah, blah, blah...We cannot fix it. Only God can. The best advice, "Go to the throne before the phone." Paul said, "Pray without ceasing!" My advise is Paul's advice a little jazzed up with a rhyme. I like when I tell people that they say I will remember that saying and it sticks with me. I think that is is wonderful because it is a priority a number one priority.
To help with stinking thinking especially when I am trying to sleep, I start naming the nine fruits of the Spirit, Galatian 5:22. I start saying what we will doing in heaven, worshipping, "Holy, Holy, Holy, is the Lord God Almighty, who was and is and is to come!, Revelation 4:8 Holy, Holy, Holy, God of power and might. I recite the eight thoughts Philippians 4:8, "true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable, trustworthy, praiseworthy think on such things." I force my mind to do what He told us to do. In Colossians 3:1, "Set your hearts on things above." I know that is the right thing to do. Then I start saying, "God I am really struggling with this one. It is raving through my thoughts. Looping! What do I do? You have gotta help me! Philippians 4:6-7 says, you guard will guard my heart and mind. It is a promise. Why isn't it guarding, (got to keep reciting) Isaiah 26:3, he whose mind is fixed on the Lord will be in perfect peace. I know all of these promises, why aren't they operating? I think I begin to evaluate what I have done for day. A check list if you will. Did I turn off the TV program that could fill my mind? Did I scroll too much news on my phone. I repent. This is the Holy Spirit at work. You cannot conjure this stuff up and make it happen. The world says mind over matter. But God really is the helper. If you think you can will it away, I remind myself with him everything is possible, without Him everything is impossible. He knows my thoughts and when filled with truth of what God said to us. Does that mean I will be perfect? No! That is why Paul wrote Romans 7, I know what I need to do and I can't do it!" That reminds me in Hebrews 11:39-40, It says, that even the Hall of Famer's did not reach perfection until they got to their heavenly home with Jesus!"
I do not let that depress me, "I'm not going to be perfect!" I just thank God that He loves me and He covers my multitude of sins. That is where I go from there. Not depression. I can not do this. I'll never be holy like James says be holy as He is holy. I ask the Holy Spirit and I always think God is saying, "Thank you, I know you are doing the best you can. I am still here, I am still helping you. I forgive you."
Each day has enough worries of itself the bible says, we have to stay fixed on today, Matthew 6:34. These are the things we begin to gather like a checklist that we begin to combat thoughts. I am not thinking about this checklist all the time, I just have been equipped myself with these promises in these truths of how to live every day life. I have been doing it so many years sometimes I stop and think of the scripture that is operating and sometimes I am auto-pilot. It's my default.
When I talk to my 92 year old dad we talk about worrisome thoughts that he is struggling with, he says, "I need to switch my default, my faulty thinking. I would say, "Well the only ways I know to do that is to renew my mind like Jesus says to. Let's go!" Next, we would start out reading a passage which states God's promises and then we would say, we can live repeat the verse in such a case it maybe, "We can live in perfect peace Isaiah 26:3 if our mind is fixed on Him." We would hold out our hands, as open to God, and says, "Help me be obedient with my mind Holy Spirit. Come help me think the thoughts that are beneficial for today. These became the daily things we would exercise so that we would live a simple God honoring life.
But again I want to reiterate, I am not perfect sometimes those thoughts come in so fast and I react to them. It is unbelievable how that happens! You know what I am talking about? I'll like thinking, my house is a disaster. I have to call for a maid, I have to get it cleaner. I want to have people over. My house is not clean enough. It is too cluttered! I go straight from those thoughts to my husband and I say, "We have to do this and that to the house. He does not even know all that I have been thinking or talking about. I sprung it on him and I make it urgent. His plate is full with His own thoughts and things. He says, "I have to do what and why? Because you want to have someone over?" The conflict begins.
Am I listening to God? He has always taught me to slow down, sit down, quiet down. Make it a priority to bring peace into the home not disorder. He appeared to the apostles after coming back from the cross and said. "Peace be with you". Here I am trying to disturb the home, our precious home, our sanctuary-sacred place. Who was I doing this for? ME! Selfish! My perfectionism sets in. "We should have it pretty, much like a museum, everything in its place. I compare. I have been in so and so house and it is perfect. I have OCD, obsessive comparison disorder! A new disorder friends! Holy Spirit help! He will never leave you or forsake you, The question is, "Will you listen to the counseling?" He may have rebutted in your head, why are you doing this, thinking this. Slow down! Is this the right time to say this to your husband? He is trying to help. Are we listening?
If we listen and quiet down like I thankfully have done in the past, I hear, a song, a verse and I did not dismiss it! I focused on it! He is doing what He said He would do, HELP! Zephaniah 3:17 "The Lord your God is in your MIDST, A MIGHTY ONE WHO WILL SAVE; HE WILL rejoice over you gladness; HE WILL QUIET you by His love; HE WILL exult over you with loud singing."
Friends I don't have to write a 268 page book of self-help. I just need to write a small book filled with the word to remind you to read His word. Some of you have said, "I can not memorize or remember scripture!" I say when you are weak He will show Himself strong for you! The word NEVER goes out void. When I read the word it comes back into my in the right moments. Trust Him!
Seek the Lord with your whole heart, love Him with your body, mind, soul. He who began a work in you will complete it! Don't give up! Don't think for a moment He has abandoned you! No your will but His!
As I dictate this writing to my notebook on my phone and yet I have rough days. If I have to be honest, I create my own problems (with help from the enemy I am sure). "I give up, I wanna give up, I think!" Why do you want to give up I finally asked myself? Why do you want to give up, you do not feel good, ok. But what if the answers are like well because they do not like me, the relationship is strained and I am tired of it, my child is not doing the things they should be doing! These are all selfish, ambitious answers that I want, I want, I want and If I do not get then I am going to give up! Whoa! If I am honest, I confess that truth to God, "I am want things to be perfect and then I won't want to give up!" Confession, thankfulness, being grateful, stop complaining! When I stop tell God honestly then strength and power from God is infused into me. He will guard our hearts and minds it says in Philippians 4:7 but in 6 it says present your requests and be THANKFUL AND then He guards our hearts and minds.
"Seek first the kingdom of heaven and ALL OF ITS RIGHTEOUSNESS and then all shall be added, Matthew 6:33!" Two actions seek, be fully committed and things will be added. What is added? Not cars, redecorating projects, money, houses!
Let me end with this...
WHAT IS THE MOST VALUABLE THING IN OUR LIFE TIME WHEN YOU WANT WHEN YOU PUT YOUR HEAD ON YOUR PILLOW AT NIGHT?
PEACE OF MIND!
Paul's certainty protected his sanity! Certainity=every word out of the mouth of GOD
B.I.B.L.E.
basic instruction before leaving earth
