It's taken me a while, but I've come to realize my brain does not always lead me down the right path with the correct emotion. It can be a grand deceiver, and lead me along into false thinking quicker than humidity makes curls. For instance, when my daughter calls from college and I hear tears spilling out and drama unfolding, I've had to learn to not leap on the emotional bandwagon as she walks down Woe Is Me Lane. It was a process that spanned a couple of years, but I came to understand that I need not and should not respond to her musings that her day has been nothing short of a disaster and the future looks bleaker than unbuttered toast. Most of this vibrant revelation was driven home to me when I finally realized that the same offspring could call back within two hours and be completely healed of every bad wind that was blowing her way just one phone conversation earlier. Ah, what sweet grief I have learned to spare myself of by not trusting my brain....
There are also certain times of day I cannot trust what's going on inside my head. Like very early in morning. Today when I woke up still thinking of yesterday's bitter disappointment that I watched someone close to me go through, my first waking thoughts were, "What do we do now? Where do we go from here? Why is this happening? " It seemed too despairing to even get out of bed and start the day, but thankfully God and experience have taught me to listen to the whisper that says, "It's too early. Don't trust these thoughts; don't trust your brain. Get up and get going and get some perspective." And that's exactly what I did. And that whisper was right....once into the busy-ness of the day, my panic took its proper place on the back burner and the questions that were almost thumping out of my head while it was still on the pillow quieted down with a sense of peace from God that said, "I've got it. Don't worry. I'm working it all out."
So when can I trust my brain? Try this on for size.
Therefore, prepare your minds for action...
The end of all things is near. Therefore be clear minded and self-controlled so that you can pray.
Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.
It sounds like thinking straight doesn't just always happen - there's a little work to do. Prepare my mind. Be clear minded. Twice it says to be self controlled. And lastly, alert (hence not listening to my brain first thing upon waking....). Wow. It goes to show me that just because I have a thought cross my mind doesn't mean that I have to live by or be ruled by that thought. Instead I need to take each thought captive to Christ and His word.
The mind can be the devil's playground or the Lord's victory field. It all depends on who's got the ball.....
No comments:
Post a Comment
Thanks for taking the time to leave a comment. Much appreciated!