Thoughts
Holy smoke this week flew right by. My family and I were able to take some time off for spring break and had a really nice Easter day. The weather was beautiful, and the kids enjoyed opening baskets and doing their Easter egg hunt. It was a fun filled day. If I’m honest, I have felt a little off this week. My body is tired, and the kids are readjusting to routines after time away. When I feel off, I know my mind allows my thoughts to wander. Whether it’s doubting or working through past thoughts or decisions I’ve made or didn’t make, when I’m tired, I tend to doubt myself and replay things in my head. Sometimes things that I haven’t thought about in years. Can you relate? Maybe shame, doubt, sadness begins to creep in. As I was thinking through this, I realized that I need to forgive myself. I thought I had, but I’m learning claiming that may need to be a repeated process. As I grow and walk with others who might be going through similar situations, I have experienced it can bring back those past feelings. That’s ok, as long as I remember my past does not define my future.
We have to recognize that God wants to use our broken lives to help others cling to him. He doesn’t want us to hold onto our brokenness and let it consume us. That in a way is disobedience. In Colossians, Paul is writing a letter to refute all the false teachings in Colossae. He is proclaiming that Christ is the Creator and the one who reconciles all things. Colossians 1:21 reads “Once you were alienated from God and were enemies in your minds because of your evil behavior. But now he has reconciled you by Christ’s physical body through death to present you holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation—if you continue in your faith, established and firm, and do not move from the hope held out in the gospel.” You are without blemish. I am without blemish. We are free from all of our past transgressions if we will only walk firm in the faith. If you or I hold on to the “wrong” in our lives, the enemy will render us useless for the Kingdom of God. We must turn those thoughts, feelings, and actions over to God and use these as a testimony to his redeeming grace, mercy and love.
Friends, if we don’t do this we will lose. We cannot allow the enemy to control our negative thoughts, actions, emotions or attitudes. We have to hold tight to what is truth and the only truth I am confident in is God’s. He loves each of us so much! If you ask, he will not allow the enemy to infiltrate your thoughts. Those who believe a Christian’s life is either sheltered or that we are missing out, are missing the point. The Lord is not trying to force us to choose him but gives us free will. He does not have “rules” to limit us, but rather to protect our hearts, minds and bodies. He is the one and only thing we need in this life. If you don’t know Him, I would love to help you start. If you do know him, keep going sister! Don’t forget His truths are embedded in scripture. The Bible warns us again in Colossians 2: 6- 8, “So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives in him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness. See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the elemental spiritual forces of this world rather than on Christ.” We need to keep our eyes open and our minds focused so we know when the enemy is attacking.
I took time this week to reflect on these things. While this is a heavy topic, it is so important and the key to remaining joyful. If we do not have this as a foundation our house will fall. Don’t let your house fall.
Heavenly Father, thank you for the wisdom that is in your word. You tell us in Colossians that in Christ all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge are found. Continue to relieve what is false in our lives. Help us to refute these things as Paul did in his letter to Colossae. But Father, I pray our hearts stay softened and sensitive to the needs of others. We love you, in Jesus name. Amen.