A friend of mine was telling me about a key chain his son had when he was younger. The key chain had a variety of different sound affects. One button would make the sound of bomb being dropped from the sky and exploding. Another was the sound of a firing machine gun and another a rocket being fired and exploding… and so on. The main reason for the key chain was to help drivers reduce or combat their road rage….
I thought what a great idea- not that I think blowing up Grammy in her 1970 Plymouth Duster going 40 mph on the highway is a good idea or thought -but I thought we should all carry one of those key chains around in our pocket.
Heck… every time a negative, or suggestive or fearful or proud or unforgiving/vengeful thought that wants to tip toe into our heart or mind, we can push one of those buttons on our key chain and hear that pleasant sound of victory…. KABOOM!
Ever been in the prominent birdcage? Front and center for everyone to witness at “just the right time”…
Due to multiple factors and stressors- you have a “moment” … and intentionally it’s very public and at the most inopportune time.
My buddy Shawn and I were working on a roof. We were kind of hidden from direct of sight of the street by some trees when this car screeches into the parking lot and slams on its brakes, doors fly open, followed with a very angry woman yelling, at what appears to be her teenage son. In the mist of this heated conversation some trash comes flying out of her car. It’s pretty apparent that she is totally unaware that we are there watching -so my buddy yells, “Mam, will you please pick up that trash.”
Silence…. and then this transformation of tone, “Pardon?”
Shawn says, “Will you please pick up the trash that came out of your car.”
The woman obviously humiliated and embarrassed says, “Oh… Yes, I am sorry.” She then scurries out away from the car, picks up the trash and promptly returns to the car.
Shawn hardly ever a loss for words says, “Thank you.”
The woman then replied with a humbling regret of, “Uh huh” … and then slowly backed her car up and left the parking in a much calmly manner then when she arrived.
I am sure none of us has had a moment like that in our life…. Yeah right, most of us are still trying to forget some of those moments.
As a Christian... Here we are supposed to be a light for Christ but one thing after another seems be adding to the pile of our “terrible, no good, very bad day”. Pressure has been pushing and bubbling its way to the atomic state of our being… to the point there is little or no hesitation of things about to fly out of our mouth and once they are out, it is too late.
We all have allowed thoughts to hitch a ride for far too long and we have forgotten to pull the 007 lever- where we simply smile and eject our well-trained adversary out of the sky light of our mind. See ya!
Jesus said in Matthew 11:28, "Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke fits perfectly, and the burden I give you is light." (NLT)
Heavy burden in the original Hebrew translation is a heavy load; an oppressive burden; a burden that deals with the faults of the conscious that oppress the soul.
Our mind is an amazing thing but we got to watch what comes into our little thought factory.
You can be minding your own business when a thought comes strolling along and before you know, you have walked so far into a dark corner with that thought and gave it such liberty that it has started to influence your emotions. Give it a stiff boot in the butt!
(KJV) 2 Corinthians 10:5 “Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ…”
You wake up- look at the clock- realize you have REALLY overslept…. (Shoot!) You still have to wake up the kids for school- … (Oh Man!) Your spouse forgot to put gas in the car… (Frustration.) Just as you think you will only be a few minutes late, you remember there is morning meeting scheduled…. (Can’t be late!!!) Traffic is heavy and you seem to hit every red light…. (COME ON!!!) You begin to wonder what your boss will say or won’t say (Not Good.) You begin to wonder what would happen if you lost your job… (Fear)… You think of missed car payments and pass due mortgage notices and the kids no longer taking their beloved karate lessons… (Can you say “ANXIETY”?) You start thinking about what you would sell and what to hang on to (A little more anxiety)… You think about prospect of moving in with “Mom” and “Dad”…. Bet my spouse would love that… all because they didn’t leave me gas in the car this morning! (Blame game) and before you know it, you are even considering parking in a handicap parking spot… Your mind is weighing between truths or fictional excuses. Your stomach isn’t satisfied with Breath Saver mint for breakfast and the elevator seems to be taking an eternity to get to the 9th floor. Finally you reach the office as someone notices you and says “Good Morning!” (You cringe, as it’s just another reminder that you are SO LATE.) And as you are about to open the door to the conference room, you notice a post-it, saying “Postponed to Friday”.
Cast down what? Bring what into captivity? My wife's cous, Laura had a great saying... "How far off the dock are you willing to walk until you realize their is nothing underneath you?" We all, at times, have to separate fact from fiction instead of get caught up in the mess of the tumble weed of the moment.
Have you ever been to a lake where the water has been so stirred up you can’t even see your hand in it -even though it may only be a few inches below the water? Now imagine yourself as that lake… How can a person even think or see clearly if they are being stir- up by all the wrong things?
Where is the “thought –life” going?
What are you filling up with? You wouldn’t put jet fuel in a Volvo and turn on the ignition (well most of you wouldn’t :) … or intentionally plug your vacuum cleaner into a 220-amp circuit? Yet we have all been there at sometime in our life where we have gassed up or plugged into the wrong source and had destructive and terrible consequences.
Philippians 4:6-7 “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” (NIV)
Philippians 4:8 “And now, dear brothers and sisters, let me say one more thing as I close this letter. Fix your thoughts on what is true and honorable and right. Think about things that are pure and lovely and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise.” (NLT)
Watch out for pointless trips. Listen and pay attention to what the Holy Spirit is saying.
Sometimes God will bring a specific person to mind to pray for and I will be thinking about that person for quite a while until I realize the reason that person has come up was because God was showing me to pray for that person- nothing else, nothing more.
Helpful ideas
1. Yoke yourself with Christ.
2. Give God your burdens. (1 Peter 5:7)
3. Cast down imaginations (including “what if’s”)
4. Fix your thoughts on truths and things you know are right -according to God’s word.
5. Pay attention to what the Holy Spirit is saying.
6. If the thought doesn’t belong there- push the launch button.
7. And Smile, remember life is good and who is on your side.
Joshua 1:9 "I command you--be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the LORD your God is with you wherever you go."
Jesus said in John 14:26 “But when the Father sends the Counselor as my representative--and by the Counselor I mean the Holy Spirit--he will teach you everything and will remind you of everything I myself have told you.”
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