Thinking About Thinking

Wow - has it really been two months since I last blogged?  I don't have a great track record so far, do I. Work, ministry and finding times to hang out with my husband took up most of my precious hours these past weeks.

But even though I haven't been writing, I have been thinking, which has caused me to want to write.

I'm finding as I live life that many people don't think.  Now, I could never say that to an individual, because, of course, some sort of altercation might ensue, be it verbal or physical.  Most would stand with both feet firmly planted and say, "You are quite wrong! I do, indeed, think!".

But I fear that what they call thinking is merely a processing of facts, emotions, or circumstances; going in one ear and out the other.  They seem to say, "Oh, yes I just totally lost my temper with my spouse," or "I watched tv again instead of answering God's obvious call to be in prayer," or "I have been worrying so much about my child that I am bordering on being unable to function in my other relationships." They process the information that comes at them, but there seems to be little or no change. (I say this b/c their lives continue in a cycle of destruction and darkness that I know from God's word would not happen if they were submitting to His work in their life.)  Instead of saying, "Oh, yes, I just totally lost my temper with my spouse.  Wow, that does not line up with the heart of God.  God, please help me not to do that again and show me how I can be more patient and generous. I don't know how I'm going to do this but I'm going to call my mom/sister/friend right now and ask her to hold me accountable and to encourage me." They leave it at the first sentence, merely giving some small mental assent only to the fact that they indeed lose their temper or worry.

May I pose that this is insufficient?

From what I see in scripture, we are called to far more than just processing data.  We are called to analyze those feelings and thoughts that result from our daily lives (be they wonderful or terrible) and see if they are in line with God's heart and plan.

We are called to dig deeply into our reactions to our circumstances and hold up what we've found down there, letting our Creator's light shine all over so that we may hand it to Him so He can change it.

We are called to lay flat our emotions on His workbench and submit as he sands, files, scrapes, or hammers away at anything that is not like His Son.

And in that is our safety and joy and hope and life's most amazing adventures.

I believe that is thinking - engaging with our Maker in every aspect of our mind, heart, body, surroundings, relationships, etc.  Etc.

Let me encourage you to think more about your life and not settle for your momentary emotional reactions to things.  Stop saying, "This is just how I am" as you give in to one thing after another instead of standing with both feet firmly planted and say, "No! I am going to think about this!  I am going to engage Christ and allow Him access to all the places in my heart!"

Then you look into His face and into His precious Word, and allow Him the 5 minutes or 95 years to deal with whatever He finds as you open yourself up to Him.

Think, dear sister.  Think.