Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee. --Isaiah 26:3
Good Morning Friend,
Are you ready to get your mind right?
As I sat back one day in a reflective mood, I began to think about the things that I was currently facing. I began to think about how so many times I decided to do the right thing only to get bad results. I thought about how I have given with a willing and cheerful heart only for the world to dump its worst out on me (at times) and me not seemingly be blocked from the attacks. My mind began to wonder farther as I began to question God's love and compassion for me. Moreover, I'm one of his mouthpieces, I'm His child--if anybody should be shielded from the vicissitudes, hurt and disappointments of life...IT SHOULD BE ME (I remember thinking). One after another, I began to dwell on what wasn't, or what should be until I found myself in an emotional wreck where I began to even question my own callings. The other day I found a piece of paper where I had written a petition to the Lord and it simply said "LORD PLEASE HELP MY EMOTIONS!"
Webster's Dictionary defines an emotion as being "an affective state of consciousness in which joy, sorrow, fear, hate, or the like, is experienced, as distinguished from cognitive and volitional states of consciousness." As I look back on anytime I became emotional either good or bad, it was a state that I allowed myself to enter into. You see, we have a choice rather we are going to be happy or sad. We have a choice weather or not we are going to be overcome with disappointment, fear, sorrow, grief, etc. And its not a bad thing that we experience these emotional states, after all God did give us these emotions which is a great part of what makes us "human", but we must be careful ultimately where we allow our emotions to take us. I have literally messed up good relationships, be it in business, friendships or personal because of this thing that seems to be able to overtake me the quickest--my emotions.
The enemy's ultimate goal is to kill, steal and destroy. Within his tactics, isn't it ironic that he always shoots for the head (or our mind) first. That is because he understands that if he can get our thinking to become unstable, or if he can get us to operate out of our emotions that more than likely we will mess things up for ourselves, which can also send us further into states of depression, sadness, etc. Once he [the enemy] can get us there where we basically don't have enough control over ourselves to be able to seek and call out to God--then he has really won that battle. But I have good news for you today...the enemy may have won some battles by default of our emotions alone, but we can win the war! How can we do that you ask...well I'm glad you asked.
The word declares in Isaiah 26:3 that God will keep us in perfect peace (or a mental state of calm and collectiveness) if we keep our minds (or our emotional focus and trust) in Him [Christ]. The Amplified Bible (AMP) says it like this: "You will guard him and keep him in perfect and constant peace whose mind [both its inclination and its character] is stayed on You, because he commits himself to You, leans on You, and hopes confidently in You." Here the meaning of this scripture opens up a little more and we find that we can remain in constant or continual peace if we keep our inclination (or our will) and our character lined up with God and His word. So we understand that we wont walk around 24/7 just thinking about God and nothing else, but who we are in our will and our character will keep us in constant reminder of whose we are and who we represent when faced with situations where our [negative] emotions will to take over. Lets dig a little deeper. The Message Bible translation says it like this: " People with their minds set on you, you keep completely whole, Steady on their feet, because they keep at it and don't quit. Depend on God and keep at it because in the Lord God you have a sure thing." Here we see the promise to those who keep their mind on Christ revealed even greater. We find that when our will and character are lined up with God and His word that He will keep us completely whole and steady (or productive) on our feet. When whose we are matches up with who we are in our mind, I guarantee that many of the battles we face within ourselves can be won because we don't let what we see or how we feel overtake the moment.
As I have began to grow in this area, many things that used to bother me just simply don't anymore! Things like being over looked, discounted, passed up, let down, intentional hurt, life's disappointments (even when they are steady) I'm learning how not to allow how I feel dictate the final outcome of the situation. Yea, I'm not proud to say, but many times my enemies have gotten the victory over me because they knew which buttons to push and just like a puppet on a string when they would push--I would react. Ultimately, that reaction would cause another and that one would cause another until I was on this downward spiral that had spun out of control all to my devastation. All while the other person(s) or entity(ies) were at home eating chicken or doing what they do and I was the one who was the emotional wreck, worrying and making myself tired and sick. AND FOR WHAT!?!? One day I had to talk to myself and remind myself that anything other than peace, joy and happiness was not of God and was no longer welcomed to dwell in my mind, body or environment. Not meaning that I don't get upset at times or that I don't feel down at times, but I don't allow that mess to take residence within me. Yea, we will face these emotions and sometimes daily and multiple times within our daily lives, but what we do with those emotions (and what we allow those emotions to do within us) is what matters.
So the next time you find yourself it a highly emotional state, think about Christ and how He would respond to the situation. WWJD- (remember that?) What would Jesus do in the same situation you are in? What does His word say about this situation? How is this situation going to be impacted if I allow my bad and evil emotions to take over? Friend, we must keep this very important factor that makes up who we are and place it under subjection according to the word of God. What are you allowing to take resident in your mind, body and spirit? After while, whatever you allow to dwell within you will began to consume you. Choose peace, love, joy and happiness over defeat, anger, hate and disappointment. Your reaction to situations could make or break you, your witness and your testimony. Keep this in mind as you go about your week and endeavor to become the best you possible. You can do it! I know you can!
Much Love,
Clyde L. Webster
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