Greetings everyone,
Just a few days ago after sharing some things about appreciation on FB I began to ponder again about the mind. Apart from the biological and psychological aspects- what's really up with the mind? What happened spiritually with it when Adam fell in the garden? Was the mind altered in some way at the fall that it now requires spiritual repair?
Basically, what from hell happened to your mind?
- There must be an answer! Let's get into the Word.
To introduce this I'd like to share part of a FB conversation that a friend and I had earlier this week.
"Why is it that people remember what you do to them but not what you did for them or what they did to you?"
"Marcus, the Lord led me to pose a question similar to this last week in Youth Bible study. There are a few spiritual answers (practical ones exists also) to this, but I'll just mention one for now.
PART of the issue lies with the sensitivity of the old man (e.g., sin nature, flesh, old mind, etc.). The old man, although crucified with Christ (Romans 6:6), is often too "alive" to sin, wrong, offense, etc. done to it but not done by it. When wronged, if not stopped, the old man will choose to respond with retaliation, even if it's just in the mind and never acted upon. Unfortunately, in the process the offence and accompanying effects are rehearsed over and over being stamped further into the sub-conscious for quicker recalling later. EVEN IF YOU FORGIVE THE PERSON, YOU MUST MINIMIZE HOW MUCH YOU MENTALLY (and verbally) REHEARSE THE OFFENSE.
ON THE OTHER HAND, when someone does something good to (or for) us- we acknowledge it, celebrate it, and go on after a while. The same mental effort is not expended rehearsing the good deed and its affects, thus minimizing the likelihood of remembering it quickly. After the passage of much time this is certainly the case. Often, we have to be externally reminded of a good deed done, particularly if it didn't mean a lot to us at the time it was done.
But thanks be to God there are some things in the Word that can help. For starters, we can pray that God would help us remember the good done to (or for) us more readily. Also, we can begin making a bigger deal out of the good done because God was behind it."
- excerpt of a conversation between me and Mr. Marcus Barnhill
In the next segment we'll dive deeper into the Adamic past and discover what actually happened to the mind. Stay tuned...
In His Service,
DsW
In the last installment of this series we discussed how managing your thought life is highly important if you're going to maintain any personal peace.
Sticking with that theme- in this installment we will dive a bit deeper into extended thinking (e.g. meditation). Moreover, we must acknowledge that the longer you think about something the larger it becomes inside. When no room is left inside- you will release it outside in words, actions, and/or attitudes. This applies to both positive and negative things.
"What's becomes too large on the inside will become too large on the outside."
Extended thinking (e.g. meditation) acts like a "stamp"- pressing events, actions, ideas, beliefs, and moments deeper into your mind (or sub-conscious). THE RESULTS: On the positive end, this affords you the opportunity to reminisce and relive the pleasantries of your past in an instant. However, on the negative end the same instant replay is available- but this time working as a stressor and tormentor forcing you to relive past discomforts.
You see, the length and extent of your thinking about something determines what position of prominence that "something" holds in your mind. Consequently, the more you meditate on something the more "staying power" (power to remain up front) you give it. Yes, you control what memories are in 1st place, 2nd place, 3rd place, 4th place, etc. or no place. In other words, the higher the placement the easier the recalling. Again, please note that this works with good and bad things.
Now, all praise belongs to God because His Word is our mental safety net. Paul had this to say to believers in Rome: "Be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind..." (Rom. 12:2). Here, Paul is basically encouraging the new Roman believers to allow the Word of God to transform what and how they thought. But specifically how was this to be accomplished? The Roman believers had to begin measuring (and continually re-measuring) all of their established images, perceptions, beliefs, and concepts about everything and everyone against the standards in His Word. Where ever they found disharmony with the Word -they were to change their mind. God wasn't going to change it- they had to do it. The changing of a mind is a personal responsibility!
Try these...
(1) Learn how to forget the "unnecessary". Your life, purpose, and destiny is much too important for you to remain distracted by the "unnecessary" past. BY CHOICE, even God chooses NOT to remember some things: like your sins - Selah!
(2) Concerning the past, forgive others and yourself completely.
(3) Start recognizing how much thought time you're giving to things - good and bad. Then start minimizing or maximizing thought time where appropriate per the Word. Be a self-starter and a self-stopper!
Allow these steps to become continual processes in your life. Besides, we really should always be evaluating if our thinking reflects Christ-likeness. We must remain proactive here to deny the enemy mind space.
Finally, what about forgetting...the "unnecessary" stuff that is? Here, I mean using our faith to literally forget by choice as God does! Understandably some things- positive and negative should be remembered as such are launching pads for our testimonies of God's goodness. However, only God (and perhaps you) know what things should and/or shouldn't be completely forgotten (Philippians 3:13). Consult God here- He is certainly ever-present to assist.
Scriptures Refs (KJV Version):
Psalms 1:2 - But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and in his law doth he meditate day and night.
Romans 12:2 - And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.
Philippians 3:13 - Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before.
Philippians 4:8 - Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, ...honest...just...pure...lovely...of a good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things. {mod. mine}
Manage Your Thoughts, Manage Your World!
Blessed regards,
DraperW
