I don't know about you but I ponder a lot. It seems like my mind is constantly going. Thinking about my family, our church, reflecting on life in general.
I would suggest to you that our minds are always active. We analyze, reflect, day-dream and dream in the middle of the night! There is not a moment during the day or night when we are not thinking.
You might say that our thinking (to borrow a word from the Apostle Paul) is "unceasing."
Many times we wish that we could stop thinking for a while; that is would save us from many worries, guilt feelings and fears.
The mind is a powerful tool for the positive, but it can be a conduit for the negative as well. It can bring great joy, but also great pain.
The question is: do we have to become victims of our unceasing thoughts?
No! Instead of "unceasing thoughts," we can begin to "pray without ceasing"!
We can turn our inner monologue with God into a continuing dialogue!
In other words, every time I ponder something and it begins to cause panic in my life, I need to pray!
And what's great is - that God really does want to listen to us!
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
1 comment:
I think that worry is just one of the ways that we show a lack of faith in our lives. But we're human and God understands that we are going to worry about things. I have a poster on my computer about giving things to Jesus and letting Him take care of them. When I start to worry about things, I pop this poster up and read it again, praying that I can cease worrying and continue worshipping.
Songs play a large part in my walk every day. If I have a problem, I'll sing a hymn; if I start to worry, I'll sing a hymn; if someone gets on my nerves, I'll sing a hymn; if things just don't go right (we all know about having multiple Mondays in a week, don't we?) all day, I engage in some serious worship songs. If people come to my office and hear the music being played, they know that I'm with God at the moment and I'll get to them when I can. I try to be with God (praying unceasingly) throughout my day; as I hear about the troubles of others, I send a prayer heavenward; as events unfold, I send a prayer heavenward; as things go GOOD, I send a prayer heavenward.
I just noticed that I had been concentrating on the negative in this message and I don't want to give that impression. God has blessed me with a great family and a great house and a great job and great friends and a great church and great opportunities to reach others for Him! So, I sing when I'm happy as well...I often say (to anyone who will listen at this point) that it's easy to pray and praise when things are going good--it's when things are going bad that we need to pray and praise even more, knowing that we are the children of the God most High and that He will never forsake us. So, we don't need to worry for He has it all under control...and who better to have control of your life than the One who created the universe in all its complexity?
So, you see how my mind works when the subject of worry comes along? At first, I get serious and ponder the issue...then I realize that God is in control (good song there) and I put it all in the hands of Man from Galilee (good song there) and He touches me (oh, another good song there) and brings me peace like a river (okay, that was the last song reference) for my day(s). Anyway, I find solace in praise and prayer; try it in your own life, won't you?
Love God, love people!
Jon
Post a Comment