I have come to the conclusion that my thoughts have a mind of their own!

This became painfully clear to me early this morning. I awakened with a deluge of unexpected, unsolicited quandaries and musings. Before my feet even hit the floor I had worried about the demands of the day, pondered if I was parenting my teenage son as well as I should, and wondered if my five year old son was getting enough attention! I hadn't intended to start my day with worry. I had every intention to start with praise.

What happened?

As I made breakfast I continued to deliberate. My musings made me mad, my quandaries made me question myself, and my ponderings made me positively paranoid!! After my oldest son left for school, I sat and sipped my hot tea. "What is wrong with me?" I thought.

It's like my mind hosts a secret warehouse. Within its walls are shelves and closets full of hidden thoughts, secret insecurities, and former failures. It's as if, without my consent, my mind speeds off to retrieve any and all of the potentially troublesome contents I have stored away.

Well, some things are only truly discovered through prayer and Earl Gray! My morning revelation is one of them!

As I questioned God about my seemingly helpless state, He reminded me that if I don't control my thoughts, then my thoughts will control me. If I don't govern my mind, then my mind will govern me. That's why Paul tells us in 2 Corinthians 10:5 to hold every thought captive and make it obey Christ! When our thoughts are aligned with Christ, then we are in a prime position to "bar the door" of the warehouse!!

Here is the way I see it.

When I am walking in the flesh, then I will fulfill the desires of the flesh. The desires of the flesh are worry, insecurity, anger, and all sorts of other destructive and depleting things. But, when I am walking in the Spirit, when I am allowing my mind to be captivated by Christ, then I will fulfill the desires of the Spirit. You know what those desires are… peace, security, forgiveness, and thousands of other redeeming and refreshing things!

So, my friend, this is my new predawn plan of attack in order to have victory on the battlefield of my mind. Before my feet hit the floor, I take a step of faith and intentionally walk in the Spirit. My road map is found in Philippians 4:8. Since I am so good at focusing and obsessing, I will now focus and obsess on that which is good, lovely, and of good report. Only that which is praiseworthy is truly worthy of my ponderings.

I tell you this because I am not the only one who has a warehouse! Most have warehouses chock full!  Most of us have revolving doors on our warehouses! Since our thoughts govern us, we must invite God to govern our thoughts.

We southerners would say… KATY, BAR THE DOOR!!

It's time we condemn that old building. It is not the source of our musings, God's word is! You are a reflection of the way you think. So, dwell on that which will reflect Christ as you walk in the Spirit.

Follow the Philippians 4:8 road map today. It will always lead you to walk in the Spirit and it will help you avoid that old warehouse!

"For as he thinks within himself, so he is." Proverbs 23:7a NASB

Blessings and Joy,

Jennifer Rothschild