I'm Sorry, Did You Say Something?

I strongly considered titling this post, "Where's Your Head At?" Those of you who enjoy pop-culture references would probably have been amused, while others would have seriously questioned my ability to form a correct sentence. Talk about over analyzing!

I heard something life-changing at an Intimate Issues conference a few years ago. I cannot remember which of the ladies referred to this analogy, so I'm sorry I can't give credit. Very simply put, she referred to our mind's "caller ID". I think that we sometimes beat ourselves up for negative or lustful thoughts that are out of our control. Satan is, for now and among other things, the Prince of the Power of the Air. He is constantly bombarding our minds with thoughts that we should not be entertaining. The key word here is entertaining. This is where the caller-ID analogy comes into play.

When I'm standing at my kitchen sink, exhausted from the day, my mind tends to wander, often to thoughts like the ones I blogged about on Wednesday. When a thought, any thought, comes into my mind, it is best that I run it through a screening system. If I would demand that all of my thoughts first knock, instead of just barging in, I know I would live a much more victorious life.

"Don't you wish you had dragged Nicole out of your bed by her badly dyed red hair?!"

This is a pretty good example of the kind of thought that will barge into my mind if I let it. It's an ugly thought that is clearly rooted in evil. It causes my adrenaline to rush, my heart to pound, and my fantasy life to take control. It makes my flesh feel alive, and it leads me to sin. But, the initial thought did not come from me. I was just minding my own business, elbow-deep in dishwater.

What if this would happen instead?

Tap, tap, tap. "Don't you wish you had dragged Nicole out of your bed by her badly dyed red hair?!"

"What, who sent you?"

"God."

"God? Let me check. No, the Lord desires that I walk in gentleness."

"Within reason, but she really deserved it!"

"Get thee behind me Satan!"

I would love to see this happen in my husband's life as well.

Tap, tap, tap. "What a pretty girl!"

"Who sent you?"

"I'm just pointing out the obvious man, you have every right to notice beauty. You're not blind."

"She is a beautiful daughter of the King. I wonder if she knows how much God loves her, or if men like me have ruined the picture of God for her?"

You get the idea. In the first example, I would have undoubtedly spent a minimum of ten minutes just standing around and damaging my heart, and searing my conscience. In the second example, I heard the same initial thought, but I believe that I escaped sin completely.

In the same way, it is just as important to recognize when a thought is from God. I might as well acknowledge the fact that, "Do I want tomato soup or fried chicken, or both?" is the kind of thought that fills the majority of my day. I'm ready to admit that this kind of thought may not come from God or Satan. However, I don't think it is ever a bad idea to run a thought through the filter of wisdom. ;)

Jesus says that his sheep listen for His voice. This implies that they have the ability to hear and follow him, which is essentially the Christian walk.

Last Sunday at church Pastor said, "Do you know what produces hope? Hearing God." He went on to explain that, if at the time you heard, you knew you were hearing God, you should never forget that faith. This resonated very strongly with me. In making the decision to marry Hubby, I heard God. I was completely certain at the time, and even married a man that I wasn't yet in love with because I knew I had heard God. Over these last couple of years I have spent a lot of time doubting that decision. However, when I remember that I heard and obeyed God, I am filled with hope for the future.

I came home from church and looked up verses with the phrase "faith, hope, and love." I thought I would share these two with you, as they have done so much to comfort me. 

"We always thank God for all of you, mentioning you in our prayers. We continually remember before our God and Father your work produced by faith, your labor prompted by love, and your endurance inspired by hope in our Lord Jesus Christ.

For we know, brothers loved by God, that he has chosen you, because our gospel came to you not simply with words, but also with power, with the Holy Spirit and with deep conviction. You know how we lived among you for your sake. You became imitators of us and of the Lord; in spite of severe suffering, you welcomed the message with the joy given by the Holy Spirit." I Thessalonians 1:2-6

"But since we belong to the day, let us be self-controlled, putting on faith and love as a breastplate, and the hope of salvation as a helmet." I Thessalonians 5:8

These sum up the cry of my heart much better than I ever could. From the first passage I see that faith and love spur us to work, and hope allows us to do so for years without exhaustion. This solidifies, to me, the truth of Pastor's claims that hope comes from hearing God (either directly or by way of scripture). After all, what could keep a person going more than the things God has promised us?

I Thessalonians 5:8 speaks something phenomenal, especially to us as addicts and wounded partners. Faith and love are to be used to guard our hearts, while the hope of salvation is for the protection of our minds. I am determined to cling to my faith, and to not allow Satan to harden my heart towards my husband (or anyone for that matter). God has promised us salvation and healing, therefore we do not need to be subject to the bombarding of our minds by the enemy.

Hope can be so easily squashed by this cynical world, and is often seen as naive. But I am a redeemed daughter of the King, and my hope lies in a heaven that is so real to me I can almost taste it. Therefore, I push onward, looking forward to what lies ahead, never being ashamed to admit my HOPE.

Comments

[Jennifer F.]

Wow, this post is so timely. Just last night I was reading St. Francis de Sales' Introduction to the Devout life, and he was talking about temptation and made this very point: that there's no fault in evil thoughts popping into your head. The devil will do that sometimes. It's *taking pleasure* in them where the sin comes in. In fact, it's comforting to know that the discomfort and loathing you feel towards those thoughts comes directly from Christ, for he is with you.

Great post!