Brain On Fire!
Good Morning!
I feel like I have so much to say that I could pick from one of many topics to write about but the narrowing down is going to come from God, I hope. As I type this, I still don't know where to focus!
There is so much going on in personal life as well as people's lives around me as well as politics and the future of our nation! It sometimes seems overwhelming in its entirety!
One recurring theme in my life is my tape recordings that I tend replay in my mind. As if I don't have enough current things to think about, my mind, especially when it feels overwhelmed, goes to replay old news. I don't know if everyone is like that, but man is it awful. I rarely replay good tapes accidentally. The thoughts and recurring tapes are usually negative. I do tend to be a positive person, but my perfectionist tendancy toward myself and condemnation toward myself is the area that is hardest for me to overcome, I think. I know a lot of people who feel like this. I have heard from a lot of people who continue to struggle with this similar way of thinking.
Is there a way out? Yes, by the grace of God, there sure is. Part of my brain detox exercises that I've been working through help address this. Some of the sermons I've listened to (not even looking for them, but there they are!) and some of the Bible study lessons that I thought didn't apply to me, all lead to the same topic lately. Freedom. What does it mean? Beyond our freedom in this country, which we should never take lightly, freedom from fear and that recurring condemning tape recording and stewing and frustration and worry and....tack on any of your "issues" that you feel keep resurfacing.
This verse is what popped up today:
Colossians 1:22
In the body of His flesh through death, to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in His sight.
Both of those words were unrecognized by spellcheck when I just now typed them. When I first read them, I thought "are those even words?"
In Greek, unreproveable means irreproachable, blameless. It means that a person is not convictable when a person is properly scrutinized!!! And, unblameable in Greek means free from all valid charge!
I have said this before and heard it many times, but one of the biggest issues that we as Christians face is not walking in victory in this life. We "try" hard and we "do" as much good as we can, and it still doesn't stop us from making mistakes and feeling like we can't do enough or ever "get it right!"
The more I study and read about how in God's eyes we are unblameable and unreproveable, the more I want to see myself that way too. It is so much more empowering than to let the negativity tape replay again and again.
What, in my opinion, will stop that negativity tape and get us on the right track?
Number One is Thanksgiving.
Yes, it sounds trite and I'm sure we would all breeze right on past that because we've heard it too many times. I wrote about this last week and I'll say it again. Whenever you hear a repeat negative tape start again or you hear Satan trying to ring your bell, the first thing to do is say to yourself or even out loud, "Thank you, God, that I am blameless in your sight, that you already won this battle through Jesus' blood" .....or some version of this. I promise you that it will stop your thoughts abruptly. I've been practicing that and do know what is so weird to me? I set out with this intent to use thanksgiving whenever ANY kind of negative thought pops in my head (e.g. I won't ever be fully healed, I'll always have some belly issues, what is the next thing that is gonna happen, fear of the future....etc). Even though I set out with the thanksgiving intent, in the very moment of when those thoughts start, I can't for the life of me think of what it was I intended to do! Haha! What in the world? The simple word Thanksgiving is what suddenly pops up and I think "seriously?" but I go ahead and start thanking God and then before I know it, I feel better. The best news is, though, it is more than a feeling!
1 Corinthians 6:11 says .....and that is what some of you WERE (referring to a long list of sins). But you were WASHED, you were SANCTIFIED, you were JUSTIFIED in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God. (emphasis is mine:)
Stop abruptly in your tracks when you find yourself going in the negative direction. Let Thanksgiving flow out of your mouth and your mind. Say it! I am washed, sanctified and justified! THAT is how we start to live and walk in victory.
I pray you have a blessed and positive Monday!
jennie
