T he Lord promises that those who are redeemed by the blood of Jesus will not be consumed by the fire. He will always provide a way out of our fiery trials that are allowed to test our faith. He is a promise-keeping God to those whom he calls to Himself.
“But now thus says the Lord, he who created you, O Jacob, he who formed you, O Israel: Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you.” (Isaiah 43:1-2)
However, you can be consumed by your thoughts. Believe it or not, you control what you think. It’s your choice to entertain every thought that comes into your mind. But know that you possess the power to take those thoughts captive to the obedience of Christ.
“For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but mighty before God to the casting down of strongholds; casting down imaginations, and every high thing that is exalted against the knowledge of God, and bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ;” (2 Corinthians 10:4-5)
What does that even mean? Well, according to SeattleChristiancounseling.com, what you think matters very much to God. He made your mind and wants you to think thoughts that lead you toward life and peace, not toward fear and anxiety. He wants you to set your mind on things above (see Colossians 3:2) and choose to believe He (Jesus) is Lord of your life.
Being consumed by your thoughts can take you away from that place of joy. Staying joyful is intentional! But it not only takes you away from joy, it takes you away from experiencing blessings right in front of you. Being consumed by your thoughts blinds you to what you could be experiencing.
The other day, I was at a lovely celebration at an expensive steak house, one that exceeds my budget. The food was delicious, and it was an honor to be invited. But right before it started, that darn devil popped up with his lies. Again, I could not reach the one who was pup-sitting our baby. All kinds of possible thoughts consumed my mind. I spent much of the evening calling home, to no avail. What is it with me and this stupid phone? Maybe I should hide my phone, it seems to be becoming a source of discontent. Anyway, while I enjoyed the food, my social skills went into hibernation. Before the delicious desserts were even served, I had to leave. I just couldn’t take another minute. I had to hurry home to see what the problem was. About five minutes before we arrived home our pup-sitter called and all was well. They had fallen asleep early, oblivious to the phone. Hmm… I wonder how much more I might have enjoyed that event if I were oblivious to my phone?
In retrospect, I realized I had deliberately chosen to not take my thoughts captive to the obedience of Christ. Oh and yes, that word “obedience” stood out in my heart and mind. Jeepers! I was disobedient to Jesus! I say I trust him, and I believe he came to set me free from all the crazy thoughts that go through my mind. But instead of believing it, and remembering it, I allowed myself to become consumed by those thoughts. I kept saying the devil is a liar… but did I believe that? I certainly didn’t act like I believed it, because I continued in the wrong thought process. It didn’t hurt anyone but myself. I missed out on what could’ve been. I missed out on being present in the present, the people I could’ve met, the blessings I could’ve received. Oh well, my new motto is live and learn and write a blog about it.
Another great Bible verse to recite and pray when you feel like your faith is slipping, is from the words of the father who asked Jesus why His disciples could not cast the demon from his son. (Read Mark 9:23-25) Jesus told them that it was because of their lack of faith. The father of the boy replied to Jesus, “Lord, I believe, help my unbelief.”
Your thoughts can be consumed by many negative things: anxieties, fears, what ifs, jealousies, food, your appearance, living up to social media standards, etc…. But it can also be consumed by good things, like God’s Word. In so doing, your faith grows. When you take those negative thoughts captive to Christ, you replace them with positive ones about what God has done, and who He is. Those things are pure, holy, noble and true! And when you think on that, you have the peace that surpasses all understanding. (Philippians 4:7-9) Then you can live in the present moment, loving others like Jesus loves us. You can be the salt of the earth and have lasting joy. Like joy, taking your thoughts captive to Christ is also intentional. One of the best ways to do this and change your thought pattern is to sing praises to God.
“The Lord inhabits the praises of His people.” (Psalm 22:3)
When you praise God, demons flee, chains break, and freedom reigns in your soul (your mind, will and emotions). You experience peace and joy, your faith increases. It’s a win, win! There is a favorite song we sing in church that really speaks to what I am trying to express. It’s called “We Praise You”. There are several versions; this one is a lyric version by Matt Redman. (Check it out on YouTube. You can skip the adds.) I think you will enjoy it too. It will motivate you to start praising the Lord no matter where your circumstances take you.
Consumed With Your Appearance
For those of you who at times fall into this category, take heart! Professional help is readily available. Yes, consultations are usually free. A trip to your hairdresser can help alleviate the problem. We are trained to be good listeners and problem solvers regarding your hair and other beauty needs.
Spring is here so relax, lighten up. Maybe a few carefully placed highlights will lift your mood and brighten your appearance. A vibrant new hair color can really pop the new spring wardrobe pieces you have added to your closet. Whether it’s a new hairstyle or just cutting off the dead ends from the previous season, a trip to the salon can be one way to change your thought pattern when you look in the mirror and are unhappy with what you see. Remember from my last blog, happiness is a temporary thing. So when you get bored with how you look, just pop on in again. We’ll be waiting for you with open arms.
Thank you for reading my blog. If you would like a free consultation regarding your hair, please contact me. I hope you learned something and were a little amused in the process. I love you all!
I know when I recently had the “few carefully placed highlights” along with the ALWAYS encouraging conversation I left feeling joyful.