When You're Learning to Guard You're Mind...
2 Corinthians 10:5
I’m a few days late, but that’s because I’ve been partying!
I’ve been celebrating my Grandma Effie’s 100th birthday!
Seeing her still with us…. able to soundly communicate with
us is something I thank God for daily. As an added bonus, I have seen more of
her silly side in the past few years than I remember in my childhood. Talking
with her these days is nothing short of a good time. Stories she tells of being
16 rather than 100, or of planning amusing trips throughout town (though she’s
never had a license) brings the family a lot of laughter. Though she is full of
wisdom, her imagination can run wild.
That’s one trait I feel I get from her. A big imagination. My
thoughts have the ability to carry me away from my reality. I’m still being
reminded by family of the games I made up while staying at my grandma’s house
during the week as a little girl. My favorite game to play was “choir director,”
where I sang and directed hymns that I found in a book and my “choir” consisted
of plastic figurines that sat on Grandma’s shelf. I didn’t care who was watching…
I couldn’t wait to get home from school so I could play.
Even as an adult, the imagination doesn’t stop. The problem
is sometimes I’m so consumed in my thoughts I’m in danger of ruining my
reality. Because just as much as I have had great things come to mind, not so great
ones come too. They come up in every area of my life. How I think about
relationships. About my career. About myself.
I began an amazing opportunity last month to network with
members of my community and to build leadership skills. Knowing that the opportunity
could lead to new lifelong opportunities I was excited; I was hoping and
praying for the best. When I walked into the room for the first night of
training, my imagination got the best of me.
You don’t have the
same credentials as these people…
They’re going to judge
where you are now…
Your opinion isn’t
good enough. It isn’t smart enough. It doesn’t matter if you speak up…
My overacting imagination and thoughts were on the horizon
and threatening to ruin my opportunity to start a new chapter in my life… and I
was getting ready to let it. Then something amazing happened. The people there
were reaching out to me wanting to know about me. Asking me for my opinion and including
me in opportunities they were embarking on. It’s like they unconsciously wouldn’t
let me fall back into the old rhythm of thinking. I realized they were right
and began to embrace it.
God is familiar with my story and where I am now, and He
promised that all things would work together. Thankfully they’re beginning to
do just that. Quickly renewing your mind, taking negative thoughts captive, and
examining yourself daily are essential for pursuing purpose. Reading and
remembering what God says about me and throwing out thoughts that contradict them
makes me less afraid to tackle obstacles that seem like I’m unqualified for.
When my thoughts are centered on good, helpful, and edifying
things, I’m much more aware of reality and more encouraged to pursue my dreams
rather than hide in my imagination.
What are your thoughts and imagination doing for you? Do
they build you up or tear you down? Stop tearing yourself apart and decide today
to believe that you CAN do all that God called you to do. I know I will, and
whatever I think…I will eventually become. And from now on, I’ll think nothing
but the best.
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