~I am challenge to fight the battles going on within my mind. My mind wants to wonder to all those situations that are bringing me down. Yet, I look to God and say "I need to stay focus on... only You" In Philippians 4:8 I am reminded to think on these things~
Philippians 4:8 (The Message)
8-9Summing it all up, friends, I'd say you'll do best by filling your minds and meditating on things true, noble, reputable, authentic, compelling, gracious—the best, not the worst; the beautiful, not the ugly; things to praise, not things to curse. Put into practice what you learned from me, what you heard and saw and realized. Do that, and God, who makes everything work together, will work you into his most excellent harmonies.
~So I challenge my mind with this and even get interrupted with the thoughts that are upsetting me and (STOP)... myself... say as I am talking to Him... "God"... "Help me to stay focus!" and take my thoughts captive to this verse once again. Even in the midst of captivating my thoughts I find my body shaky for the challenges of my journey these past 3 weeks and up to this moment have taken me on a roller coaster of thoughts and emotions. Now I find myself writing this so maybe as I put down in ink some of my reflections along this journey... I can create and look at this like a part of the map.... that as I find myself feeling lost or controlled by the strong winds that seem to take me adrift... I can once again read this and set my course. In Mark 10:27 I am reminded that "With Me" this part of my journey ~is~ impossible...but "With God" to walk through this darken, wilderness ~is~ possible. ~and~ I am not to worry for like Matt. 6:27....can I even add anything to my life through worry...? So in Philip 4:6 I am not to worry... instead ~
Philippians 4:6 (The Message)
6-7Don't fret or worry. Instead of worrying, pray. Let petitions and praises shape your worries into prayers, letting God know your concerns. Before you know it, a sense of God's wholeness, everything coming together for good, will come and settle you down. It's wonderful what happens when Christ displaces worry at the center of your life.
~hum.... Christ displaces worry at the center of my life.... Just like in my mind Philippians 4:8 says I can think of positives instead of negatives... By shaping my worries into prayers... He displaces the worry at the center of my life...I no longer have a sense of worry....but a sense of God's wholeness, everything coming together for good...will come and settle me down. I should reflect to this verse as a reminder of God's direction when Ronnie says.... "Terrie calm down"... this verse would be the direction to know how to calm down... for in myself to find calm is not so easy at times, but to take all my worries into prayers, to let God know my concerns... that is the path to take to find myself once again in that beautiful field of wild flowers with the warmth of the sun comforting my achy body and all I can do is to look up for His yoke is easy and His burden is light... I look up and smile as I say to Him... "life is good"
So I am on a journey and find myself on paths that are steep...rocky...cold and dark...I feel lost...I stop pull out the map and look at the roads...find a sense of direction...get caught up in my mind the couple turns I need to take...and press on in my journey...and believe I will find my way out of here!
~Fight The Good Fight~
~and take yourself to higher places~
Life is one big road with lots of signs. So when you riding through the ruts, don't complicate your mind. Flee from hate, mischief and jealousy. Don't bury your thoughts, put your vision to reality . Wake Up and Live!
ReplyDeleteSorry to hear you're going through that, Terrie. I know it's hard. I think it's good to write about it -- it can be very healing. I hope writing about it and putting it to ink, as you said, has helped.
ReplyDeleteThere are so many skills and tools available to help with that sort of angst and stress. I've learned a lot of them over the years and it has helped me so much. That's not to say I don't sometimes struggle (don't we all?), but at least I have a toolkit of ideas and things I can do -- it's very empowering!
I definitely recommend anything by Jon Kabat-Zinn, Dr. Wayne Dyer, and Thich Nhat Hanh. I think you'll enjoy and hopefully benefit from a lot of what they have to say. I've recently learned of Dr. Claire Weekes, too, and people swear by her as well.
Thank-you to the skateboarder who plays guitar ...and... Boquinha....... I am thankful for the encouragement and tools that are out there.
ReplyDelete...and hold on to the ones which bring light, strength....and keep me focus on the walk of my journey. So I can press on and have hope to become stronger in the weakness....