Thoughts….
Do you ever wonder the origin of particular thoughts? One week I was having a myriad of crazy thoughts. Thoughts which made no sense and had absolutely nothing to do with the current status of my life. I know, in regard to my writing, God will place thoughts in my mind, of direction, and understanding of certain situations, and sometimes even revelations. The thoughts which were infiltrating my mind, at the time, though, were random and not derived from anything related to my world, or anything buried in my subconscious. But from what I understand, in order for them to develop, they would need to have some relation to something in my mind. So, I found it strange that no matter how far in left field it appeared, or how much I disassociated myself with the thoughts and felt it to be an intrusion, it somehow wormed its way into my conscious.
Thoughts are formed one of three ways from our senses, our subconscious, and, or from our unconscious databank. I did not consciously focus on these thoughts, so therefore its origin originated outside. The brain, then codes and processes these thoughts which we receive from outside stimuli. If there is something in our subconscious, or unconscious it can relate, or associate itself with, it then continues through the stages of the thought process as it develops into what we are thinking. My guess, from deduction, if there is no association found in our subconscious, or unconscious, it then swirls in our mind and becomes a blip in space. In which case, we are given the choice of whether or not to retain it or label it as being of no use to us, hence disengaging it, hopefully back from whence it came. But what if the thought we receive has some remote relation to what is already stored in our minds. I mean 24 hours a day we are constantly gathering information, listening to conversations, utilizing social media. We are bound to pick up unwanted information which becomes inadvertently stored in our minds. And if we couple them with these unwanted thoughts, there is no telling the damage these pair can produce if we are not careful. None of us want past negative experiences which are stored in our mind to hinder or allow us to believe to think negatively regarding situations in our lives. I wouldn’t want the past trauma of being stung by a bee, allow me to be petrified of bees to the extent that it would one day prevent me from walking through the doors of my destiny, just because it presents it self at the door buzzing to and fro. Have you ever rebuked a bee in the name of Jesus? Well I have, and if calling on Jesus at the sight of a bumble bee gives me courage to step over the threshold of my destiny, then I give God all the glory. It works.
But of course, there are greater hurdles to overcome, or dismiss than the sight of a bee. The thought of fear, in seeing a bumblebee swarm over our head, is not as damaging as the thought of changing our sex, contemplating false accusations, killing someone…, or ourselves for that matter. Just as easily as one can receive the thought of a dancer performing in their minds, and then have the desire to become a dancer, one can receive the thought of death, and decide to kill. Or receive the thought of an addictive substance, or an uncharted reprehensible situation and then have the incredible desire to feed the addiction, satisfy the curiosity, or create the moment. And all the while, we mistakenly think, well this must be my desire, or why would I be thinking it. Not realizing, or considering the garbage we collect each day, being a hazard, which ignites the ill-gotten thoughts, making it a challenge, to say the least, to achieve the plan God has for our lives. Just another one of the devil’s ploys to make us believe we are unworthy, or to lead us down the wrong path.
I was talking with a colleague of mine one day, and they confided how their child, a beautiful young girl, I’d say around seventeen years of age, suddenly appeared to have romantic interest in another young girl her age. After speaking with her daughter, and running through the scenario with me, we realized, due to the insistence of her and her husband not wanting the young girl to be around boys, this young lady, when propositioned by another young lady, concluded in her mind, if my parents say having a boyfriend is bad, then surely having a girlfriend must be good. Now, one might think, for seventeen she is very naïve. But remembering back when my own daughter was that age (who, I’d believed at the time was very responsible and mature for her age), there were things I thought she understood, which she actually had not. It baffled me. So never assume your child is fully aware of the surrounding circumstances they may encounter at any given time. What this young lady had stored in her subconscious, coupled with the proposition from her new young lady friend gave her own self the impression girls were acceptable to like, in any capacity, including romantically. Her desire to have friends coupled with never having been kissed, almost lead her down the wrong path. We cannot let outside stimuli convolute our thinking. At some point we must begin to listen to our instinct. In Romans 2;14, it is written even if one has no knowledge of the law, through our instincts we can tap into the nature of God’s ways and know what is good and not good. He is in us all, and through our thoughts, or conscious we are able to discern what is right or wrong. But if we don’t take the time to tap into our inner selves, if we don’t evaluate those thoughts which are fresh off the boat, sort to speak, if we proceed without caution, our lives become exposed to a sea of peril.
One thing is certain, whether we call it our inner spirit, or the spirit of our heavenly father, if we guard our hearts and minds, and accept only that which is good… As it is written in Philippians 4: 8, thinking on those things which are true, honorable, just in nature, pure, lovely, with a sweetness that melts away all animosity, and worthy of all His praise…These are the thoughts which should enter our minds. And only these alone. Our constant battle with the world, is a fight I will take on, with the help of my heavenly Father to the end. I believe those myriads of thoughts were a lesson to make me pay attention to the garbage I evidently allowed to flood my mind. What’s one less TV show dropped from my viewing list when speaking in terms of my obedience to my heavenly Father. My peace of mind. It’s a price well worth paying. Psalm 101:3 says, “I will not set before my eyes anything that is worthless.” It is up to us to dismiss those things which sets us out to sea, only to realize we are unable to find our way back. In Philippians, Paul looks back on all that has been done to him and relishes the fact it all being for the Glory of Gods kingdom. In Philippians 2:2 he says, if you have any encouragement in Christ, if any comfort from His love, if any fellowship with the spirit, if any affection and compassion, then make my joy complete by being of one mind, having the same love, being united in spirit and purpose.…Let’s not conform to what is suggested in this massive world of confusion. Let’s be liked minded, as our Father in Heaven. So much more peaceful than the alternative, wouldn’t you say?
CWB