Purposeful Capture
Wow, Isn't God good, isn't he faithful and amazing?!
If you are not sure, I can tell you yes with certainty. In one of the toughest weeks of motherhood and marriage I can say YES, Lord you are mighty, you are glorious, you are worthy of all praise!
I sat with some wonderful friends -that HE has blessed me with- last night. We were talking about our specific needs and struggles and my list is long currently. Child with surgery, (2nd) husband reliving deep loss and pain, court custody (battle --and I mean spiritual!), ex-spouses that harbor extreme hatred and resentment toward us. That is all just this week... :)
One of them asked me how do you deal with it all? Now, mind you, we all deal with it --all every week. The older I get and the more I experience; the more I love and the more I lose; the more I allow God to work in my life, the more I realize that every single one of us are living it. Constant, continual, no way out.
Except through HIM.
My wonderful husband and his strength, authority, gentleness and faith came to mind almost immediately, but what followed was what another lovely sister spoke to me a few weeks ago. Capture every thought.
We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ. 2 Corinthians 10: 5
If you will read before that (vs. 3-4) it is speaking about the spiritual warfare, the battle right above us that actually comes to life right here within and among us.
How often do we come across a thought that only furthers our pain, stirs up our anger, consumes our jealousy, our need to control. How often do images conjure up in your mind that you get lost in and come out the other side needlessly bound instead of immediately seeking Him. Then, how many times have you acted or reacted because of those thoughts? It is never good, or productive or positive. Am I speaking to anybody today?! ;)
I am around people that have lots of "drama" or are always negative, that are consumed with their anger and pain. I cannot live that way, I cannot be bound by all of that.... or I will not have anything left to give. To my children, to my husband, to my friends. We are called to love and we cannot truly love if we are stirred up in what Satan and our enemies are pouring out.
Do we all have bads days? Do we all need to vent? Absolutely! We are humans here on this earth -- We live in this world! vs. 3 We are subjected to all of the spiritual battle around us. That is what the scripture is talking about.
Capture that thought in your head, don't have that argument with yourself, don't give into needless suspicion, paranoia, animosity. Stop and tell Him to take it. You dont want it, you cant do it- oh, Lord take it!
That is how you win the battle. Not allowing Satan to stir it up in you, not make you react, not get depressed, not lash out, not imagine unneccessary untruths.
Instead, begin that relationship with sweet Jesus, where you hear Him when He calls to you! I have decided I would rather have an argument with God in my head when He is asking me to do something that I dont want to do, than have an argument with myself about something that drains me emotionally or keeps me fraught with anxiety. Can I get an Amen!
Seek Him and the freedom that he offers.
If you are not sure, I can tell you yes with certainty. In one of the toughest weeks of motherhood and marriage I can say YES, Lord you are mighty, you are glorious, you are worthy of all praise!
I sat with some wonderful friends -that HE has blessed me with- last night. We were talking about our specific needs and struggles and my list is long currently. Child with surgery, (2nd) husband reliving deep loss and pain, court custody (battle --and I mean spiritual!), ex-spouses that harbor extreme hatred and resentment toward us. That is all just this week... :)
One of them asked me how do you deal with it all? Now, mind you, we all deal with it --all every week. The older I get and the more I experience; the more I love and the more I lose; the more I allow God to work in my life, the more I realize that every single one of us are living it. Constant, continual, no way out.
Except through HIM.
My wonderful husband and his strength, authority, gentleness and faith came to mind almost immediately, but what followed was what another lovely sister spoke to me a few weeks ago. Capture every thought.
We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ. 2 Corinthians 10: 5
If you will read before that (vs. 3-4) it is speaking about the spiritual warfare, the battle right above us that actually comes to life right here within and among us.
How often do we come across a thought that only furthers our pain, stirs up our anger, consumes our jealousy, our need to control. How often do images conjure up in your mind that you get lost in and come out the other side needlessly bound instead of immediately seeking Him. Then, how many times have you acted or reacted because of those thoughts? It is never good, or productive or positive. Am I speaking to anybody today?! ;)
I am around people that have lots of "drama" or are always negative, that are consumed with their anger and pain. I cannot live that way, I cannot be bound by all of that.... or I will not have anything left to give. To my children, to my husband, to my friends. We are called to love and we cannot truly love if we are stirred up in what Satan and our enemies are pouring out.
Do we all have bads days? Do we all need to vent? Absolutely! We are humans here on this earth -- We live in this world! vs. 3 We are subjected to all of the spiritual battle around us. That is what the scripture is talking about.
Capture that thought in your head, don't have that argument with yourself, don't give into needless suspicion, paranoia, animosity. Stop and tell Him to take it. You dont want it, you cant do it- oh, Lord take it!
That is how you win the battle. Not allowing Satan to stir it up in you, not make you react, not get depressed, not lash out, not imagine unneccessary untruths.
Instead, begin that relationship with sweet Jesus, where you hear Him when He calls to you! I have decided I would rather have an argument with God in my head when He is asking me to do something that I dont want to do, than have an argument with myself about something that drains me emotionally or keeps me fraught with anxiety. Can I get an Amen!
Seek Him and the freedom that he offers.
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