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worry

Stinkin’ Thinkin’: No Nests Allowed

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Life and peace? Yes, please!

All around us things clamor for our attention, making peace a seemingly elusive concept just out of our reach at times. Paul tells the Romans a mind set on the Spirit leads to life and peace. That sounds great, but how do we do that? How do we take our minds off of our flesh and set them on the Spirit?

Stick around this week and see what God’s word has to say about it …

 

No Nests Allowed

… and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.

2 Corinthians 10:5 NIV

birdnestI was catching up with my friend on the phone one morning when she got a call from her father-in-law. Since he rarely calls her, she decided to take it. I hung up the phone and sat myself in the floor to help my little guy with a puzzle when the thought hit me right out of absolutely nowhere: he was calling with bad news. Clearly, that was the only “logical” reason for him to be calling. Why else would he call? In less than 10 seconds, I went from doing a Disney puzzle with my two year old to mentally trying to make childcare arrangements. Why did I need childcare arrangements? Because I might need to travel to be with my friend who may have just found out that she was a widow with three young kids. Y’all, my mind can actually do that in such a short period of time. I’m not proud of that.

Each of us have tens of thousands of thoughts that enter our minds each day, and since we’re among friends, we can be honest: some of them are less than pleasing to the Lord.

Maybe you don’t put yourself through imaginary emotional turmoil like I did, but our minds go places they just shouldn’t go. Maybe for you, you have created a safe haven in your mind for thoughts rooted in anger or lust? Maybe you harbor thoughts rooted in jealousy? Maybe you struggle with worry also? I’ve heard it said that you can’t keep a bird from flying over your head, but you can keep it from building a nest. Sister, we have to keep that bird from building a nest!

We may be slower to submit our thought life to God because our thoughts are private. For many of us, we don’t even recognize many of our thoughts as sinful because they have been with us for as long as we can remember. They feel natural to us. Comfortable even. I don’t even realize I’m worrying most of the time!

While our thoughts may be hidden from others, nothing is hidden from God. They lie naked and exposed before Him.

As followers of Christ, submitting our minds to Him is essential. Are you willing to invite Him to take control?

Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. Point out anything in me that offends you, and lead me along the path of everlasting life.

Psalm 139:23-24, NLT

Taking thoughts captive,

Traci

Stinkin’ Thinkin’: Nervous Nelly

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Life and peace? Yes, please!

All around us things clamor for our attention, making peace a seemingly elusive concept just out of our reach at times. Paul tells the Romans a mind set on the Spirit leads to life and peace. That sounds great, but how do we do that? How do we take our minds off of our flesh and set them on the Spirit?

Stick around this week and see what God’s word has to say about it …

 

Nervous Nelly

Don’t worry about anything; instead pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all He has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus. 

Philippians 4:6-7, NLT

praying_on_bible_redNervous Nelly is the “loving” nickname my family gave me years ago. Truthfully, it’s not the name that I would have chosen, but if the shoe fits?

See, I would never have considered myself a “glass half full” or a “glass half empty” kind of person. Instead, I would say I’m more of a “what if the glass spills” kind of person…and the liquid is hot…and it might burn someone…or what if the glass breaks…where are we going to get a new glass…what if someone gets a cut….

The nickname makes more sense now, doesn’t it?

It would be a struggle for me to put into words how the Lord has worked on me in this area over the past several years. He has done a mighty work on my anxious heart. However, the struggle is still there and worry is an old hat that I’m quick to put on. Diligence in praise and prayer is imperative to keep that old hat off my head!

Paul instructed the Philippians to worry about nothing but to pray about everything. He encouraged them to tell God what they needed and to thank Him for all He had done. Then, they would experience a peace that exceeded anything they could understand.

While worry is never an appropriate response, and praying about everything is imperative, another part is not to be missed. For too long, I just skipped over the thank Him for all He has done part. Because honestly, when life feels uncertain and my faith feels weak in the knees, my focus is on me and the storms around me. But when I’m able to take my thoughts off of myself and praise Him with thanksgiving, I gain some proper perspective as well as the peace I’m desperately needing.

But how do we do this when our weak-kneed faith collides with the storms of life? We praise Him. With great intention, we recall His works in our lives and we thank Him.

When our worries are turned into prayers and His goodness is recalled with thanksgiving, our hearts and minds are with His peace, exceeding anything we can understand.

With thanksgiving,

Traci