A Wandering, Wondering Mind: Chapter 9
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Simple6
Posts: 170 Member
Hello Dearest Friends,
How good it is to study His word with you.
I have been having so many opportunities to practice what I am learning. I feel like I am getting lots of field experience.:bigsmile:
I had to laugh when I saw the heading of this week's study. For I have been wondering so much. In fact this week has been filled with much wondering for me. I been wondering how to comfort those of you, whose week has been stressful and hard. I have been wondering how to release and process my emotions over the beginnings and ends of seasons in my life. I have been wondering if I am really doing what God has called me to. I have been wondering how to focus on what I need to while doing all the million other things my life demands. I wonder if I will ever break this plateau. I wonder, wonder wonder............ So, this chapter was written just for me.
I want to start with this verse:
1 Peter 1:13(KJV)
13 Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ;
When I start the chapter, I usually read the scripture first. The words "gird up the loins of your mind" caught my eye. I '"wondered" what that phrase meant. My personality loves puzzling and figuring out things. I love problem solving. I love pondering. So when I read Joyce's definition of wondering as "a feeling of puzzlement or doubt" and in the verb form as "to be filled with curiosity or doubt," I felt very concerned. I sought the Lord. The Lord began to show me "wondering" balanced by His Holy Spirit.
Scripture tells us in Luke 6:44, "that each tree is known by its fruits." What are the fruits of my wondering? Does my wondering lead me to peace, love, joy, faith,....Jesus? Or does my wondering lead me to endless questions and dead ends that depress my soul and oppress my heart? Truthfully, I experience both. Yet, as I practice disciplining my mind, by renewing it to His word, to think on those things that are lovely, pure and of good report, my fruit is becoming more consistent. My focus is increasing. My mind is becoming a Peacefield, because He always wins the battle in my thought Battlefield. That brings me peace!
What I am noticing is if my focus is on God and His Word, my wondering produce images of God's greatness and His excellent ability to provide what I wondering about. His Holy Spirit brings me to His answers, which produce His life in me now. See, I really agree with Joyce, who writes, 'The present moment is the greatest gift we have from God, but if we are not present we miss it." If our "wondering" keeps dragging us backwards or any "wards" away from the God of now, then we need to submit them to God and ask for help. This takes us back to keeping our thoughts on Him, by renewing our mind to what He says about our lives. To let His word be the absolute standard we live by.
This why we must gird up the loins of our minds. The loins of our mind, is the place we allow our thoughts to replicate, to reproduce. It is our imagination. We wonder with our imagination. Here is what the Strong's Greek Dictionary define it as"reproductive" (creative) capacity of the renewed mind " When we renew our minds to His Word, we begin to think like He does and imagine like He does. He has given us that capacity and capability.
I also looked up that word 'girding" in the Strong's Greek dictionary. Here is the definition, "brace up (with a view to active exertion); a metaphor from the girding of the flowing tunic, to prevent its hampering one in active work." From the commentary, I read that this is a reference to the oriental custom of wearing flowing robs that they kept at the ready to sweep up and flee and or run to do their work. We are to keep our minds ever ready to do God's work. To think His thoughts, so we may speak His word. Our minds must be renewed to His word, so that our imagination will have the correct DNA to reproduce with. So that we give birth to His will and His purpose in our lives. This is so exciting to me. God cares about my imagination and has provided for me to learn how to use it.
So to recap....wondering that produces the fruit of indecision, confusion, and traveling around the same desert for 40 years in a circle is not the wondering that we want to do. Wondering that is based on believing God can do anything, and imagining it according to His word is definitely the way to go. This kind of wondering will reproduce His life in our "nows." This kind of wondering begins with focus on Him and His Word. This wondering increases faith and provokes action.
Father,
Thank you so much for caring about every part of us. For making provision for us to learn how to operate in the gifts you have given to us. I just ask you, Lord to be the Lord of our wonderings. Bring balance to our lives in this area. Help us to focus on You and wonder, be curious to ask and imagine your greatness and Your power to meet our needs. Not doubtful and hesitant as we ask. Help us to live in the now, where you are, not in the past hurts and disappointments, or future fears and worries. Be the Lord of our thoughts, our imaginations, and our emotions. In Jesus Name, Amen.
How good it is to study His word with you.
I have been having so many opportunities to practice what I am learning. I feel like I am getting lots of field experience.:bigsmile:
I had to laugh when I saw the heading of this week's study. For I have been wondering so much. In fact this week has been filled with much wondering for me. I been wondering how to comfort those of you, whose week has been stressful and hard. I have been wondering how to release and process my emotions over the beginnings and ends of seasons in my life. I have been wondering if I am really doing what God has called me to. I have been wondering how to focus on what I need to while doing all the million other things my life demands. I wonder if I will ever break this plateau. I wonder, wonder wonder............ So, this chapter was written just for me.
I want to start with this verse:
1 Peter 1:13(KJV)13 Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ;
When I start the chapter, I usually read the scripture first. The words "gird up the loins of your mind" caught my eye. I '"wondered" what that phrase meant. My personality loves puzzling and figuring out things. I love problem solving. I love pondering. So when I read Joyce's definition of wondering as "a feeling of puzzlement or doubt" and in the verb form as "to be filled with curiosity or doubt," I felt very concerned. I sought the Lord. The Lord began to show me "wondering" balanced by His Holy Spirit.
Scripture tells us in Luke 6:44, "that each tree is known by its fruits." What are the fruits of my wondering? Does my wondering lead me to peace, love, joy, faith,....Jesus? Or does my wondering lead me to endless questions and dead ends that depress my soul and oppress my heart? Truthfully, I experience both. Yet, as I practice disciplining my mind, by renewing it to His word, to think on those things that are lovely, pure and of good report, my fruit is becoming more consistent. My focus is increasing. My mind is becoming a Peacefield, because He always wins the battle in my thought Battlefield. That brings me peace!
What I am noticing is if my focus is on God and His Word, my wondering produce images of God's greatness and His excellent ability to provide what I wondering about. His Holy Spirit brings me to His answers, which produce His life in me now. See, I really agree with Joyce, who writes, 'The present moment is the greatest gift we have from God, but if we are not present we miss it." If our "wondering" keeps dragging us backwards or any "wards" away from the God of now, then we need to submit them to God and ask for help. This takes us back to keeping our thoughts on Him, by renewing our mind to what He says about our lives. To let His word be the absolute standard we live by.
This why we must gird up the loins of our minds. The loins of our mind, is the place we allow our thoughts to replicate, to reproduce. It is our imagination. We wonder with our imagination. Here is what the Strong's Greek Dictionary define it as"reproductive" (creative) capacity of the renewed mind " When we renew our minds to His Word, we begin to think like He does and imagine like He does. He has given us that capacity and capability.
I also looked up that word 'girding" in the Strong's Greek dictionary. Here is the definition, "brace up (with a view to active exertion); a metaphor from the girding of the flowing tunic, to prevent its hampering one in active work." From the commentary, I read that this is a reference to the oriental custom of wearing flowing robs that they kept at the ready to sweep up and flee and or run to do their work. We are to keep our minds ever ready to do God's work. To think His thoughts, so we may speak His word. Our minds must be renewed to His word, so that our imagination will have the correct DNA to reproduce with. So that we give birth to His will and His purpose in our lives. This is so exciting to me. God cares about my imagination and has provided for me to learn how to use it.
So to recap....wondering that produces the fruit of indecision, confusion, and traveling around the same desert for 40 years in a circle is not the wondering that we want to do. Wondering that is based on believing God can do anything, and imagining it according to His word is definitely the way to go. This kind of wondering will reproduce His life in our "nows." This kind of wondering begins with focus on Him and His Word. This wondering increases faith and provokes action.
Father,
Thank you so much for caring about every part of us. For making provision for us to learn how to operate in the gifts you have given to us. I just ask you, Lord to be the Lord of our wonderings. Bring balance to our lives in this area. Help us to focus on You and wonder, be curious to ask and imagine your greatness and Your power to meet our needs. Not doubtful and hesitant as we ask. Help us to live in the now, where you are, not in the past hurts and disappointments, or future fears and worries. Be the Lord of our thoughts, our imaginations, and our emotions. In Jesus Name, Amen.
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What happens to us when our minds wander and we lose our focus on the moment? Subtlety, quietly, like a daydream our mind can be detoured away from God’s purpose or instruction. Lately, mine reminds me of the Giant Slide at the amusement parks…I trekked up, up, up to the top of the mountain only to be side tracked to find I took the wrong path and slid down, down and down to the bottom…far behind base camp.
I am not talking about my food or exercise or personal life. I offer no remedy for myself or others. My heart is transparent…but I am none the less vulnerable. So…this week I am going to excuse myself from posting and be still before my God.
My prayers are with each of you wonderful ladies and I am so grateful to have you in my day.
Father, I pray that in this time of wandering you will search me out and restore my footing on good ground. Return me to your path, Lord. Shine bright in the darkness that I may know that you are not far from me. Amen.0 -
So, what have you been wondering about?
For me,
A good wondering is my meditation on this scripture:
Phil. 3:14
KJV: I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.
ABPE: And I run toward the goal to take the victory of the calling of God from on high in Yeshua The Messiah.
DRB: I press towards the mark, to the prize of the supernal vocation of God in Christ Jesus.
WNT: with my eyes fixed on the goal I push on to secure the prize of God's heavenward call in Christ Jesus.
I wonder what the prize of my high calling in Christ Jesus, looks like in this fitness arena. So I asked Him to show me.
The mark I am pressing toward or what I have my eyes on, is being a certain weight. Is that what His high calling for this race is? It is definitely my vision of it. However, as I am running, my focus has become blurred. My heart has begun to focus on the near mile markers instead of the distant prize of His high calling. I feel out of breath and weary. I feel tired of planning out my food and logging it. I am tried of trying to fit in exercise. The yoke that was easy and light is now heavy and burdensome.
I began this journey with a divine mandate to learn to be a wise steward of my body. What I didn't realize is I am so much more than a body. I am the resting place of God....His temple. He lives in me. He is active and vibrant. Yet, I am worn out and exhausted. Something is not quite right. I often feel all cattywhomppus. Time to examine the yoke I am running with.
What I see is that transformation is a process....everyday is an adjustment, a place of fine tuning. As I wondered about this today, I see places to repent.....to change my mind and my direction, and places I am on track. There is always room for God to increase the field of His vision and purpose for the High Calling of this season in my life. My mark is not the pounds dropping off or the my clothes being too big. My mark, is knowing that I am honoring God with all that I am. That is my aim.
Today, this type of wondering brought me closer to my Lord. But there has also been moments in this day, that my wondering has taken me away. I wondered about exercise today. How I was going to fit it in. My day started at five, just to get my son to his basketball practice. Then work all day until 3:45. then dinner, homework and housework. Then the children's Christmas performance. This all equaled no time for exercise. So, all day I wondered about squeezing it in. I was wonder woman in the wrong sense. All my wondering brought me frustration and disappointment in myself. When the correct action would have been to stop and pray and ask the Lord about exercising. Then I would have had peace and direction. Wow! I really see it now. I repent. I will seek the Lord first, instead of trying to answer my own questions.
Lord, please help me recognize when I playing wonder woman and using my "wonder powers" for evil. Help me to keep my heart focused on you. Thank you for faithfully completing this good work, which is happening in me. Thank you, for continuing to guide my path, teaching me of you, and helping me walk it out. Also, for helping me to know you. Revealing your high calling in my life, that I might continue to press toward You. 0 -
I Kings 3:1 "And Solomon made an alliance with Pharaoh king of Egypt...."
As I read this, this morning, I was struck. Solomon, the man known for wisdom, in the very first acts of establishing His kingdom, made an alliance with Egypt.This was before God asked him what he wanted and he asked for wisdom. Solomon made the logical choice. Alliance with Egypt would have been considered a very smart move.
As I was thinking on this....here is what I saw. God is trying to teach me how to rule over my body. Sadly, I feel like, I tend to lean to the logical choice over seeking Him first. My own logic is like the Pharaoh of Egypt. I make alliances with it because it looks right, seems logical and makes sense. But really what it is, is me leaning to my own understanding. Me, seeking to rule my body according to what I think and what I feel. Sadly, I really don't know everything, like God does. So alliances should not be be made with myself. Yet they have. And it seems the older I am getting the easier it is to lean to my own understanding.
Vs 3 says "Solomon loved the Lord, walking at first in the statutes and practices of David his father, only he sacrificed and burned incense in the high places."
Where am I doing this? I am quick to read the articles on health and nutrition. To plan out my exercise and food without one glance in the Lord's direction. I feel like I sacrifice and give up foods and sacrifice and try different exercise to achieve the plan I know God has for me to be healthy. Yet, these actions don't accomplish God's plan. These actions have made high places in my life. Places, I submit to what I have learned above seeking the Lord for His direction. Not that knowledge is not good. But it only puffs up when it is learned and not used in accordance with His purpose. I am learning to tear these places down, but first I must recognize them. Today, I saw very clearly that there are alliances in my life that are not meant to be there. I repent. There will be no alliances with pharaoh! Only me, seeking the Lord with all my heart for His plan for my food and for my exercise, with my eyes on His high calling. Which is to be all His.
Philippians 1:6 (AMP)
6 And I am convinced and sure of this very thing, that He Who began a good work in you will continue until the day of Jesus Christ, developing [that good work] and perfecting and bringing it to full completion in you.
The God Good work that He is doing in me, is completing Jesus in me. Jesus is whole! Not shattered and broken! Jesus has overcome with victory! Not struggling with being the son of God. Jesus walks in unity with God! Not in alliance or compromise with Pharaoh. Jesus is alive in power! Not powerless to sin. Jesus reigns! He is not ruled by emotions or fear.
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