To anyone new we are doing a study using the book "Battlefield of the Mind" by Joyce Meyers, join in anytime or go back and see the posts and comments from the start.
Chapter 14 - A Passive Mind
I went through this book for the first time when I had purposed in my life to actively walk daily with the Lord. So this chapter points out some turning points in my life as well. I started getting up earlier than normal to get in Gods word every day.
I can look back on so many times in my life that I was too passive, and unfortunately it cause destruction in my life for many years. See passivity can take on many forms and due to my previous personality of insecurity and people pleasing I used to have a real hard time saying no or speaking my real feelings. So I would take the stand of I'll pray about it and maybe it will go away. I'm sorry to say that doesn't really work. God gave us dominion over every thing that creeps on this earth and we have to speak to the mountain for it to move. He didn't tell us to hope and pray and everything will go alright. My prayers have changed from take it away to give me the courage to face it and over come it. Then I step out and face whatever, even if I have to do it afraid. (at first)
I liked the example of the lady that thought about being a princess and having her prince. She spent so much time thinking of it that the reality of her own husband repulsed her. Ladies, I have always thought that is why romance novels are not good. You create an image of a mate that can't be fulfilled. Just as much as it is not good for men to be looking at the magazines with the out of proportion models and comparing them to us women, we will always fall short because that is not reality.
By passively entertaining those thoughts, we are giving the devil entrance for more evil thoughts.
And as we see more and more through out this study, where our mind goes our body will soon follow.
You are the one that has to take your thoughts captive. You need to purpose in your heart to take action and fill your mind with the word of God. Remember, by not doing anything, you are still doing something.
Psalm 19:14 Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart Be acceptable in Your sight, O LORD, my strength and my Redeemer.
Make the decision to actively think (on the word) and not let the devil have reign over your thought life. Ask God to point out the area's that you need to change and the strength to change them.
Blessings my friends,
Lynn
2 comments:
Dear Lynn,
I too have been passive in some areas of my life. I rationalized it by thinking that I was better at praying than confronting people and that by praying, God would perform His will in the situation. You very rightly point out that God's will might be to use me in that situation! Now there's a red-faced thought!
My prayers have changed recently too. There are some repeated pleas I have; "more of you and less of me Lord," or "Your will Lord, in Your way and in Your time." I also have been asking God to reveal to me His will in more situations in my life. Jennifer Kennedy Dean in her "Live a Praying Life" study says "don't worry about your ability to hear God, trust in His ability to speak to you." I found these words to be very comforting. I decided I was pretty ego-centric if I thought I needed to listen hard for God's word, of if it was hard for Him to reach me. I used to think I could "miss" communications from Him because I wasn't listening right. While it is true that you can miss His words if your mind is too cluttered, focused on the wrong things, or even stubbornly refusing to acknowledge what He is saying because it is contrary to what you think He should be saying, trusting in His ability to speak to us is critical to further our relationship with God and also eliminates one excuse for not following Him... :)
Have a great week!
Karen
Hi All:
I just came by to say Hi and while here read this post for chap. 14 and then realized how I skipped over the post on being Judgmental and Critical...funny how that stuff happens...any way I will go read chap 13 and confront my Judgmental and Critical thoughts...Just want ya to know I am still following along albeit slowly...Have a great week.
In His Love,
Debrah
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