Lyndsay Murray is our guest blogger. She is a delight to all and a wonderful inspiration to so many. I am so pleased to call her my Sister in Christ.
The mind is a funny thing. It can be your friend, helping with common sense and resolve; or it can be your enemy, leading towards faulty conclusions and confusion. I know the Bible says the heart is fickle (Jeremiah 17:9, Proverbs 20:5), but the mind’s resonance is certainly not always as clarion as one might like. The mind able to see from a multitude of perspectives can be a destructive force more powerful than any stormy gail when not wielded to the Holy Spirit’s wisdom and leading. Such earthly reasoning and logic may masquerade as wisdom, but often is little more than our unruly desires and deceptions springing up from the power of sin still at work in our hearts (James 3:13-18).
When it comes to bad habits, it is so easy to find good in the bad. Allowing myself to be controlled, at one point in my life, by obsessive-compulsive behaviors; I understand how easy it is to rationalize decisions based on what may appear to be helpful, healthy, and misunderstood. By God’s grace though, I remember also the tugging of the Holy Spirit. I remember the tinge of doubt that my actions were pleasing to God, but then justifying myself by the fact that the Bible didn’t speak directly to my behavior. Nowhere in the Bible did it say, “Thou shalt not _____.”
Since then, God has been very generous in mercy to heal the hurts, fears and rebellious spirit that fueled my actions. However, at times, the destructive desire still surfaces. Foolish habits may come from anxiety, sadness, hurt, rebellion, or just plain vanity. Whatever the source, I have found it quite helpful to meditate on God’s Word that offers me His solution instead of my own. For example:
For anxiety—reflect on the person and character of God and pray!
Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus. And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise. Philippians 4:6-8 (NLT)
For vanity—be disciplined of mind and action; realize that our time, as followers of Christ, is not our own and our prayers and ultimately life, serve a greater purpose of making Christ known.
The end of all things is at hand; therefore be self-controlled and sober-minded for the sake of your prayers. 1 Peter 4:7 (ESV)
If you aren’t sure your particular habit or choice makes any lasting difference, I would encourage you to ask yourself if that particular action is reflective of a Spirit-led life overflowing with the fruits of the Spirit. Every choice, both wise and foolish has consequences. In the case of self-control, for example, Proverbs 25:28 says, “A man without self-control is like a city broken into and left without walls.” Do you really want to remove the protective covering over your life (and everything you value in it) to unimaginable attack and desolation? Do you really want to bring repercussions onto those you love?
Though sin, natural desires, and false thinking have no power over the (wo)man made new in Christ Jesus; it is not uncommon for us to forget the victory Christ won for us and the importance of walking in the Spirit, not the flesh. When we choose our actions foolishly, we may be tempted to minimize our offenses, dread God’s punishment or even punish ourselves. The answer for our weaknesses, however, is not in our attempts to rationalize or justify, but to celebrate and walk victoriously in the new nature Christ gives His children. In the words of John Mark McMillan’s song “How He Loves,” “I don’t have time to maintain these regrets when I think about the way He loves us. Oh, how He loves us…”
Jesus Christ died because He knew we needed God’s forgiveness. He rose from the dead because He knew we needed Him to break every chain. He gave us His Holy Spirit because He knew we needed a power that wasn’t of our own strength. He gave us His Word and His promises because He knew our minds needed His transformation.
About the Writer:
Lyndsay has been many things in her past, but no career, experience, or calling define her more than the desire to follow Christ. At present, she teaches movement classes and works as a wellness consultant in addition to raising her daughter to know and love the Lord.
Lyndsay has a blog (www.singwenowofchristmas.wordpress.com) dedicated to sharing and celebrating the work of Christ through her experiences as a missionary, world traveler, knowledge seeker, and recipient of God’s lavish grace.
Tagged: God’s love, mental health, prayer, purpose and calling, scripture
