When something is very fresh and stirring in my heart, I want to write it out into words as fast as my fingers will let me. This blog is inspired by the session from the mom's group I went to the other day. The speaker was teaching out of Dr. Caroline Leaf's book "Who switched off my brain". She did an amazing job teaching from this book. This subject hits very close to home for me, as it is a constant challenge to keep my mind in alignment with the Word of God. After being on this earth for almost 40 years, I think I have finally started to understand the effects of my thought life and how it impacts the well being on my life and others. How my thought patterns have had a direct effect on the health of my mind, body, and soul.
This season that I believe my family is finally walking out of has been hard, stretching, refining, confusing, strengthening, teaching, and good. How do you keep walking when you see no light on an uncertain path that is filled with unknown corners, and turns.
My best answer is in reference to blind people. How do they do it? Not only do their other senses become more alive and dominant, but they have to trust them. That is exactly how I have felt. I have had to fully and wholly rely on, and TRUST God's voice to guide and direct me down this unknown, scary road filled with all kinds of bumps,potholes, and thorns. I have learned quickly that doing what I think is best has only landed me on my face, which eventually has led me to my knees in humility before God.
Currently I feel as though I'm going through another test again. I find myself walking down a path of the unknown again. However this time it directly involves my children and their health. As a mother all I want to do is protect my children from any kind of harm. As a mother I want to control that nothing harmful will hurt them. I am learning that control is a delusion, and only God is Sovereign and in ultimate control. This realization again has brought me to my knees in surrender. I am constantly challenged to completely TRUST my Heavenly Father, who in fact, loves my kids more that I can even fathom.
I am challenged on a daily basis to keep my mind right. "To think whatever is true, noble, pure, right, lovely, admirable, excellent, and praiseworthy..to think these things" Philippians 4:8
Because of different events that happened to me in my life, I trained myself to think in a defensive, and in self protect mode. I would never look forward to anything as to protect myself from disappointment. I would prepare myself for the worst news,that way I wouldn't feel ambushed. I figured this way of thinking gave me more of a sense of control and a feeling of being prepared. It took a real rude awakening for me to come to the conclusion that this type of thinking was nothing but destructive and extremely unhealthy. I had to do a complete 180 to change my pattern of thinking so I could get my mind, body, and soul to be healthy.
I have had to rewire my brain's way of thinking. I would say that this has been even harder than getting my body into shape.
Why am I sharing and writing this? I have a feeling that I do not walk alone in this area. Again my purpose for this blog is to encourage others who may walk the same journey as I have. I want to say that if I can change my whole pattern way of thinking, so can you. However it comes down to it becoming a habit, and a discipline. I have caught myself in a negative thought, and later realize that I will never ever get that time back again. I could have used that time much more wisely.
Two years ago, while our family was right in the midst of our storm, I was driving alone in my vehicle, lost in thought, and I allowed my mind to start stewing about something from the past. I got myself so worked up, that I actually found myself sweating! I then heard God whisper to me "So when you are done thinking about the past, I'm here waiting to start talking to you about your FUTURE". Honestly that stopped me in my tracks, and has caused me to always be aware of my thought life.
Keeping my mind thinking in the right direction has always been a battlefield for me (Joyce Meyer's book Battlefield of the Mind, was a life changing book for me also). But I have all the tools that I need to win this battle! I have the Word of God. When I'm not sure if my thoughts are right, I go to the Word, and line up the thoughts to what it says. Are my thoughts what God says about me? If not what does God say about me, about my husband, about my friends, enemies, church, co workers? The Bible is still relevant today.
I want to leave you with what I declare and proclaim over my mind every day. I am dead to sin but alive to God (Rom 6:11); I will study the Word of God; I will pray (II Timothy 2:15;Luke 18:1); I will take every thought captive unto the obedience of Jesus Christ, casting down every imagination, and every high and lofty thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God (II Corinthians 10:5); No weapon that is formed against me shall prosper, but every tongue that rises against me in judgement, I shall show to be in the wrong ( Isaiah 54:17); I do not think more highly of myself than I ought to in the flesh (Romans 12:3); I am purposed that my mouth shall not transgress. I will speak forth the righteousness and praise of God all the day long (Psalm 17:3) God has NOT given me a spirit of fear, but one of power, love and a sound mind (II Timothy 1:7).
I found this confession in my study bible by Joyce Meyer. This has helped me greatly. I encourage you to write your own declaration and confession through scripture over your life. Not just write it but SPEAK IT. Words can create life or death. I for one have experience enough death from my own mouth, that I only want LIFE to spring forth from these lips. I'm careful for the words that I speak as they are the seeds that are planted for my life, family, church, career. Every time you plant seeds, eventually they grow into what has been planted. I have found this to be a major change in my life for the better!
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