Think These Things MADM post 8 19

 

Today has been a day where I have felt the presence of the Father and I have also felt the weight of a burden I was not letting go. I couldn’t identify it, though. I just sensed the weight that was heavy on my heart.

Processing a list of those whose prayer requests were touching my memory often cascaded into my thoughts like a waterfall flowing down deep into a pool.  It is a refreshing blessing to pray for others, but that wasn’t the burden that was pressing deep.

It has been prevalent in our home this summer, this weight and anxiety, and I have been unable to name it; but I could feel it. I have allowed fear to steal some of the joy of the living in our home and today the Lord pulled on my heart a little more with actions of my children.

Teachable moments are not just for my children.

I always learn so much when living life with them. Consistently, I find new levels of grace and forgiveness, joy and frustration, hope and disappointment as I experience motherhood in many dimensions daily.  Once again, a lesson came through a teaching moment. As has happened in the past,  I failed to learn it before I opened my mouth to speak words that would edify eternity.

I let the frustration of the moment, the weight of the burden, and pride limit my ability to hear His heart and her words.  Rather than sit quiet to listen what was being explained, I rushed in to fix it.

{Why don’t I ever remember in those times when I want to make it right, that His way is always better…. Seek Him First?}

Assumptions often lead to apologies… but repentance always leads to grace.

Rushing to assumptions, making quick decisions, discerning without grace, and listening but not hearing always lead me to a path where I find myself lost in regret and turned towards repentance, but I am thankful that He doesn’t leave me there. I am so thankful that we get a second chance, and a third, and a fourth. I heard His voice beckoning from the moment I awoke, but schedules, to-do lists, and everything else waited impatiently for my attention.

  • I spent the time this morning, that quiet time with Him just soaking Him in.
  • I found His Words waiting, as I read them they fed me and I thanked Him.

But I didn’t let it all sink it.  I didn’t stay long enough. I didn’t heed the call to come and rest in Him.

Heart words and Hard words rarely line up together.

It wasn’t till later that I heard the voice, after dealing once more with an issue that broke my heart a bit more.  The weight was still there. It was pressing but the day’s events only added to the pressure and my resolve to speak joy and love was fading fast.

{How many times have you found yourself at this place where your words and your thoughts don’t match up with what you know  in your heart needs to be said?}

Alone in the only place I usually find quiet space, the bathroom, I heard that invitation again, to come.

Come and spend time with me. Come back to that place where your heart is refueled and refreshed. Dive deep into this well of grace that holds hope close and promises are once again reminders of what  He will do for each one who seeks Him first.  Come and rest with me. Clear your mind and open your ears to hear the voice that falls like the rushing waters cleansing your soul. Bask in the sensation of a cleansed countenance as you wade into the pool of peace. Wait there a while … floating with eyes closed and arms extended. Expect the unexpected.

As quickly as I obeyed, I knew the issue. I could see the problem, it was so simple that it was nearly ridiculous. The solution isn’t simple. It will take work, but praise God it is doable.  That is just it… the impossible with man is completely possible with God.

{How is it I forget His mercies?}

Every morning He meets us with the tender mercies only an Abba can deliver. (Lam 3:23)

Every day He provides an opportunity to provide for all our needs. (Psalm 23)

Every moment He is whispering into our ears the steps we must take. ( Is. 30:21 )

Obedience is a necessary component in this walk of faith. It is the key to our commitment. We have to trust that He is truly sovereign and fully in control. The just live by faith, not fear. We were not given a spirit of fear but of power, love and of a sound mind. ( 2 Tim. 1:7)

When I heard His invitation, I folded the last towel and put the basket in the laundry room.  I listened to the quiet in my home and realized there was an atmosphere of peace that had not been there moments before.He was drawing me to that place where my soul’s quiet opens the door for His heart’s song. I needed to run.

Lacing my running shoes, I eagerly reached for the door, my legs itching for that release in the moving. Running frees my mind to pause and stop to initiate rest. It closes the door to the noise and frees my heart to hear clearly.{ What do you need to do in order to turn off the thoughts and turn on your quiet?} It was at the end of my run, however, that the still small voice sounded gently, drawing me to a verse I have been thinking about off and on this summer.

And God’s peace [shall be yours, that tranquil state of a soul assured of its salvation through Christ, and so fearing nothing from God and being content with its earthly lot of whatever sort that is, that peace] which transcends all understanding shall garrison and mount guard over your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.

For the rest, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is worthy of reverence and is honorable and seemly, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely and lovable, whatever is kinds and winsome and gracious, if there is any virtue and excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, thing on and weight and take account of these things [fix your mind on them.]

 

Stinking thinking limits our ability to hear His song of joy.

Friends, sometimes I get in the habit of stinking thinking and it steals that joy that He is singing over me right away before I am ever near enough to catch the tune.

Today, grace swept in and revealed the error of my direction, the lapse in my judgment on many things, all building up and pressing on my heart.  I let my own inability to consider those virtues of truth, loveliness, beauty, purity and excellence keep my mind on the high road. Rather, I let the unrealistic expectations ride the wave of contemplative comparison or concentrated complaining sound strongly in my head.Instead of fixing my mind on the good things, I let myself entertain the impossibilities and the hopeless.

{Take a Challenge to Change Your Thoughts}

Last week the challenge was to look for the beauty and share that with others. I had no problem seeing the beauty in everyone and everything else but my own situation. That is exactly where I need to start seeing the beautiful. I need to look at the impossible becoming possible. I need to believe there is joy available on this journey of living. I want to embrace the miracle of the daily simplicities life brings our way.

I knew in my heart that I needed to shut down every single thought that was not life-filled and begin to fix my thoughts on these precious truths in Philippians 4:8. The challenge this week is to think on the things that draw my heart closer to this pattern of life-filled thoughts.

Think These Things

  • Think on things of noble virtue, pure intent, and lovely in heart, because when we speak life words and think life-filled thoughts we bring abundance wherever we go.
  • Think on things where truth resides and goodness clings, because in this there is a promise of peace and God’s presence.(Phil. 4:9)

To focus my mind on the things of God, I need to get my head and heart so averted, callused even, to the things of this world; so disenchanted by the things that would pull on my heart here, that I would quickly decipher the hand of the enemy as soon as it makes a grasp for the blessing of peace and joy in Christ as I rest in Him.

{Will you join me as I journey to life-filled thoughts, friend?}

Making a Difference starts right within our hearts and our minds, and you are worth the investment of that time. Sometimes it is hard to feel like we are leaving any impression in this life, right where we are.  Remember heaven’s scale is not like the world’s, and you are making a mark that reveals Christ as you let Him make a difference deep within you.

 

Share your thoughts with me in the comments section or on my Journeys in Grace FB page. How are you willing to make a change to different thinking this week?

I am so thankful to be journeying with you and praying for your hearts to be filled with promise and hope as you change your thoughts one word at a time.

 

Blessings,

signature 4

 

 

 

 

Linking up with friends at:

SDG Gathering, Make A Difference Mondays, Three Word Wednesday, Coffee for Your Heart, #TellHisStory, Words of Life Wednesdays, Thought Provoking Thursdays, Wake me Up Wednesday