Do not worry! (part 5)

It is amazing how quickly my thoughts can go from being positive to being destructive, poisoned, and full of doubt.  Today my thoughts have been all over the place and I have given them free reign to go where they wanted.  I have thought of how others have mistreated me and how I deserve better, allowing anger and resentment to rise up within me.  I have thought about so many things out of my control, allowing worry and anxiety to build up.  I have not glorified God in my thinking nor have I attempted to give Him thanks or praise.  I feel like my thoughts have been very trivial and have trivialized God in my life.  I have not been doing a good job of retaining God in my thoughts and having my thoughts turn back to him. 

I truly see that the much of the battle for taking off the old nature and putting on the new nature is wagged in the thoughts.  Remember from the last post, Dallas Willard states that the first freedom given to humans is where to put their thought and it is critical that these thoughts be placed upon God for transformation to take place in the mind and in the heart.  I am struck by the power of the thoughts.  Consider:

·      The thoughts are a starting place for transformation.  Rom 12:2, 2 Peter 1:2-4

·      The thoughts are to be under our control and directed towards God. Phil 4:8, Col 3:1-4

·      The thoughts are definitely ruled by the principle of sowing and reaping in Gal 6:7-8.

o   Sow a thought, reap an act;

o   Sow an act, reap a habit;

o   Sow a habit, reap a character;

o   Sow a character, reap a destiny!

·      The thoughts are where we are to retain knowledge of God. Rom 1:28

·      The thoughts are where we are attacked by the enemy with temptation.

·      The thoughts are where we remember or forget God’s goodness. 2 Peter 1:9

·      The thoughts are where the enemy tries to condemn us. Romans 8:1

·      The thoughts are where we can worship and exalt God. Romans 1:21-23

·      The thoughts are an indicator of our direction and health.

·      The thoughts impact how I see my circumstances.

·      The thoughts are a place where I perceive God’s presence in my life.

·      The thoughts are one faculty for discerning God’s voice. Prov. 23:7

·      The thoughts determine which nature (flesh or spirit) we will live in. Rom 8:5-8

·      The thoughts must be kept from dwelling on evil and its fulfillment. Rom 13:14

·      The thoughts are to be obedient to Jesus Christ. 2 Cor. 10:5

Seems like our thoughts are pretty crucial to our transformation.  Here is a thought from Dallas Willard on how to grow in this area:

“The most obvious thing we can do is to draw certain key portions of Scripture into our minds and make them a part of the permanent fixtures of our thought.”  (Dallas Willard, The great omission, p. 113)

Scripture memorization is helpful in controlling the thoughts and turning them constantly towards God.  Dallas Willard recommends that the apprentice of Jesus memorize passages of scripture, not just isolated verses, which focus on life in the Kingdom.  He suggests starting with passages like: the twenty-third Psalm, the Ten Commandments, the Lord’s Prayer, the Sermon on the Mount, Romans 8, Colossians 3 and Philippians 2-4. (Dallas Willard, The divine conspiracy, p. 362)

From the Inside Out

“You’re blessed when you get your inside world—your mind and heart—put right. Then you can see God in the outside world." 

February has been amazing already and we are only 13 days into it! God's hand is evident! I really am having a hard time keeping up with how fast He keeps showing Himself in my everyday routine. I'm trying to keep a list of His moves, Our conversations and how He continues to redeem my life.

I'm amazed at the results by focusing on verse 8 that I am changing daily. He is literally changing my mind and my heart from the inside. I am making sure I keep short accounts with people. Making sure that I ask for forgiveness from those people my words have hurt. Making sure that I fix the wrongs. Making sure that I spent time just sitting and listening to His voice.

When I do those things He starts pouring out His love and blessing on my life and in my heart. I can't help but recognize His movement in my world. Conversations where He speaks to me through a friend. Conversations where He uses me to speak His words of restoration into someone else's life.

Do not worry! (part 4)

Recently I have been thinking about how important my thoughts are in relation to the process of spiritual transformation, especially concerning worry.  The word metacognition means “awareness and understanding one's thinking and cognitive processes.” So basically, metacognition is thinking about our thinking.  In my experience, metacognition has rarely been addressed or taught in my faith tradition, but I think it is a key part of healthy growth.

It seems that Scripture has a lot to say about our minds/thinking and our responsibility to be aware of our thinking, understand our thinking, and direct our thinking towards God and His purposes.   For example:

Romans 8:5 Those who live according to the sinful nature have their minds set on what that nature desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires. (NIV)

Ephesians 4:22-24 ²² You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; ²³ to be made new in the attitude of your minds; ²⁴ and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness. (NIV)

Romans 12:1-2 ¹ Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God--this is your spiritual act of worship. ² Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind... (NIV)

Colossians 3:1-2 ¹ Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. ² Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. (NIV)

2 Corinthians 10:5 We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.

Philippians 4:8 Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable--if anything is excellent or praiseworthy--think about such things.

Ultimately the power and freedom that has been given to us by God is to select what we allow our minds to dwell on and think about.  It seems that we have great freedom in the area of our thought life and it is our responsibility to constantly direct our thoughts toward God. 

In spiritual formation, it is crucial to understand that what a person’s mind focuses upon will largely impact and govern what he or she does (focus determines direction and direction determines destination).  Dallas Willard states,

It is in our minds that the process of spiritual formation first takes places and begins to form the entirety of our being.  As we first turned away from God in our thoughts, so it is in our thoughts that the first movements toward the renovation of the heart occur.  Thoughts are the place where we can and must begin to change.  There the light of God first begins to move upon us through the word of Christ, and there the divine Spirit begins to direct our will to more and more thoughts that can provide the basis for choosing to realign ourselves with God and his way. . . . The transformation of our thought life by taking on the mind of Christ-his ideas, images, information, and patterns of thinking-opens the way to deliverance of every dimension of the human self from the oppressive powers of darkness. (Dallas Willard, Renovation of the Heart, p. 95 & 116)

So, one part in engaging God’s presence and His transforming power in our life is to constantly direct our minds to Him.  More on thoughts and thinking in another post…

What if?

I have noticed that trying to rejoice in the midst of everyday life is not as easy as I thought.  It has however, made me realize that I am more blessed than I could have ever imagined. That being said, what should be my response to Gods blessings in my life?  How do I use what He has given me to bless others or have an impact on the world for Christ?  I have a hard time living outside of my own little blessed life and realize there are people who are really hurting.  Death, divorce, job loss, homelessness, money woes, relationship issues, etc. I have a responsibility to use what God has blessed me with to help and encourage others and frankly, I can do much better.  Why has God chosen to bless me? Why do I have such great kids?  Why do I feel so fortunate to have a lifetime partner that I love to come home to every night? Why do I live in a nice neighborhood and home?  All of these things I rejoice in but is that where it ends?  Help me Lord to know and recognize that I am rejoicing because of you and what you have done in my life.  Help me turn my eyes and heart towards you and respond in a way that glorifies and honors you with my life, including all that you have blessed me with.

Seeing how fortunate I am, it seems an easy thing to rejoice.  But what if one of the above circumstances came into my life?  Would I have the same attitude and outlook on life and want to rejoice in my circumstances? Gods word says "Rejoice in the Lord ALWAYS..does He really means always? How would my faith be tested if one of my kids had a life threatening disease? What if my wife decided enough was enough?  What if my job was in jeapordy or I was laid off?  Could I really enter into a season of rejoicing?  Help me Lord to rejoice in all that you bring my way.  How could the circumstances of my life be any worse than you dying on the cross for me and my sins?  Seek first His Kingdom and all these things will be added unto you.....Yea God!

Do not worry! (part 3)

Could it be that what comes to mind when we think about God is the most important thing about us?  Could it be that sin stems from incorrect thinking/understanding about God?  For if we see God as He is, then wouldn’t we be compelled to live for Him and abandon sin?  So when I am worrying about things in my life, what does that say about my thinking concerning God?

Mark Guy Pearce, in God’s Cure for Worry, states “In life it is not too much to say that everything depends upon our thought of God.” Therefore, it makes senses that this is the place where the enemy would try to destroy us: our thinking and convictions about God. 

A.W. Tozer, in The Root of the Righteous, states "Satan's first attack upon the human race was his sly effort to destroy Eve's confidence in the kindness of God. Unfortunately for her and for us he succeeded too well. From that day, men have had a false concept of God, and it is exactly this that has cut out from under them the ground of righteousness and driven them to reckless and destructive living."

In an attempt to address my worry, I must address my convictions and thoughts about God.  Mark Guy Pearce suggests that we start with our understanding of God as our heavenly Father.  Here is his reasoning:

•  To begin with heavenly Father, I have not to understand great mysteries.  How easy it is to be overwhelmed by the thought of God.  But, Father, that I can accept and there I can rest. (p. 19)
• If God is my Father, I have not to make Him love me.  He is my Father and He already loves me.  (p. 20)
• As Heavenly Father, I can rest assured that all He is He is for me, and all that He has He has for me.   Remember the father’s statement to the prodigal son: ‘All that I have is thine…’ (p. 21)
• If He truly is my Father in heaven, then He understands and knows how best to train me for the highest life and to turn me to the best account, for within us is another nature with wants to be supplied and capacities to be developed, which only God Himself doth understand. (p. 22)

 To grow in this area, Pearce suggests that we think about this from God’s perspective:

God to us: Then if I have given thee they life, do not I pledge Myself therewith to give thee that on which thy life depends? 

Let the argument sink down into the depths of us. 

If God Almighty has taken upon Himself the responsibility of bringing us into the world, He has accepted the responsibility of sustaining us as long as we are in it. (p. 51)

Think about it.  How can a follower say “Our Father in Heaven” and then go on worrying, is it not the same as having said “I have no Father at all.”

How perplexed the angels must be at the sight of the fretting child of a Heavenly Father.  “Has he not a Father?” asks one in amazement. “Does not his Father love him?” says another. “Does not his Father know all about him?” says a third. “Is not his Father great and rich?” asks a fourth. “Has not his Father given us charge concerning him?  How then can he fret?” (p. 95)

Here is what it all comes down to:

If there be one grain of truth in our belief that there is a living God who holds us unutterably dear, who is seeking in all things and through all things ever to lead us to the highest, the fullest, to the best, what room is there for us to fret or fear? (p. 95)

Jesus confronts us with a core question: Is God a loving, trustworthy heavenly Father, or not?  Can we trust God?  Worry says that I am not convinced...

Do not worry! (part 2)

The last post on worry addressed how worry is futile and pointless.  But where does worry come from?  Mark Guy Pearse, in God’s Cure for Worry, suggests that worry comes from having things (ie. Jesus, material possessions) in the wrong position and place in our life.

We have been created so that God is the center and concern of our life.  When we worry we put things in the place intended for God.  Pearce wrote:

When we fret we put the good thing in the wrong place.  It is our master instead of our slave.  And this is the only sin there is, putting the good thing in the wrong place.  There is no bad thing in the world.  God made everything that is, and said of all: ‘Behold, it is very good.’ (p. 39)

A good thing in the hand, it is a horrible thing in the heart. (p. 42)

The heart which is created only for God is dishonored and degraded if set on things which perish. (p. 44)

We are wrong with things, little or great, when they hide from us the vision of the heavenly; when they deafen us to the voices that are ever calling us higher; when they deaden us to the impulses and promptings of the Good Spirit; when they divert us from the path in which God would lead us. (p. 98)

When God is in His rightful place in my life, then everything else begins to find its place.  When anything takes the place of God, then everything is out of place in my life.  Pearce continues:

Nothing can put the world in its right place but for us to be in our right place, and this in the meaning of Christ’s Gospel.  He my Lord, and I the lord of all things because He is mine.  He my Master and all things my servants for His sake. (p. 40)

We are to find in the Lord Jesus Christ a power that makes us master of things.  And yet more, much more than that.  We are to find in Him the true purpose and service of things.  Upon him who is right with God all things do wait and minister with splendid service, enriching him with the finest gold. (p. 44)

This reminds me of Stephen Covey’s principle of “Put first things first” or to say it another way “Keep the main thing the main thing.”  Isn’t this what Jesus said, that God knows what we need, so we don’t need to worry about it…we are to seek Him first and above all other things.

³² For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. ³³ But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.  (Matt 6:32-33)

But why is it so hard for me to do this?  It sounds simple: seek God and don’t worry about stuff.  Yet I am really struggle with this.  This leads me to another idea I mentioned in the first post: the importance of how I understand God.  Could it be that I do not understand and see God as He really is, so I don’t trust Him with stuff?  Could it be that my worries are related to an incorrect conviction about God?  More on this in the next post on worry…

The Perspective Problem

“All behavior makes sense in context.”


Over the last month, as I have paid close to attention to the way I judge others, when I am likely to be generous with mercy, or simply find myself somewhere in the middle, I have learned a few things about myself, and the axiom found in Matthew 5:7.

Judgement comes surprisingly easy towards people I don’t understand.

I can go from zero to intolerant very quickly towards someone whose circumstances, background, or choices are unfamiliar to me. I’m sure this is common, but it was important for me to discern. When I am feeling less than merciful towards someone I am likely to think that my thoughts and pronouncements are quite objective. However, my judgmental attitude is far from impartial. Becoming aware of this deeply ingrained bias has helped me to be more thoughtful in my attitudes towards others .
_________________

You and I are different


I don’t know your story.


I watch you from a distance.


Your behavior leaves me puzzled and I make assumptions about your choices.


I withhold mercy, and this creates distance between us.


And, so I treat you not as a person, but as a choice...a behavior.


The posture of my heart has removed the humanity in our interaction.


And we are both left lonely, misunderstood, and ultimately less loved.


I wonder what might happen between us if I knew your story.


What would you tell me if you knew I would not judge you?


What secrets would be revealed if you felt safe?


We might find a commonality that goes beyond behavior, deeper than our hypocrisy.


I think our relationship would become sacred as we make a courageous and fearless attempt at living out untempered love.