Sunday, August 23, 2009

Jump in!

You know so many times when I start a post I try and think of us sitting together talking. Of course it would be so nice if there was a way for us to talk back and forth during the post.
So jump in if you like. :)
The other day I heard someone make a comment that started thoughts running around in my subconscious. This post is where God took those thoughts. Here is what the person said.
I need to get rid of that because every time I look at it it makes me feel like a failure.
You see... they had put their best foot forward....and it had not worked out
the way they thought it should have.
This ran around in my brain for a long time.
I began to think about my own life. Did I think like that about anything?
I thought about how often I did not live up to a certain level of perfection. And eventually it led to how God might feel about that lack of perfection and the fact that I am representing Him.
And then BAM!.............here come the critical thoughts.
Why wouldn't God want to remove me from His sight?
After all, He has gone all out just because of his love for me.
He created this earth....so He would have a place to commune with me.
He sent His son to this earth to live and die for my sins ....so that the relationship that was broken between us could be resumed.
Then He sent His Spirit to dwell in me....so that by His indwelling
I might become more like His Son.
And yet.........look at how I still act and think sometimes!

What about when my life does not show the ALL that He gave?
Sometimes in my human mind.... without even being truly aware that I am doing it......I imagine God thinking about me in a human way.
Kind of like this....

Good grief girl, are you ever going to get it? Oooo! Go away! I can't stand your negative thinking! You know...I just don't feel very loving toward you right now.....give me time to cool off. Forget it...I have had enough! O.k....how many times am I going to have to repeat myself?!

And believe me.....I have thought this way about God. Why?
Because I think this way sometimes.
And when I have these thoughts......my body actions reflect it.
I withdraw from Him even more. I close down my spirit and refuse to listen to the Holy Spirit.
I become centered instead on my thoughts about me.
And if this downward spiral does not stop quickly........I can become pridefully stuck on me.

And all this because I was not allowing God to renew or check my thoughts about Him.

Today I was reminded of these verses.......it was a great reminder of the truth.
~~~~~~
16 You saw me before I was born.
Every day of my life was recorded in your book.
Every moment was laid out
before a single day had passed.

17 How precious(dear; beloved) are your thoughts about me,b]">[b] O God.
They cannot be numbered!
18 I can’t even count them;
they outnumber the grains of sand!
And when I wake up,
you are still with me!---Psalm 139

~~~~~~~~~~

He thinks about us that way....can you even imagine it?
That really hit me today. As the Holy Spirit spoke....it sunk deep in a new way.
I need to know how He thinks about me.....and then walk in it.
Rememver the verses that talk about how Jesus prays for us and the Holy Spirit intercedes for us? If I don't allow the Holy Spirit to explain that to me like today.....those things can become warped once it hits this human brain.
Once it hits my Mommy brain..........I have in the past
pictured the Holy Spirit talking to God this way.
God, we need to talk about this human you sent me to inhabit! (sigh)
Or from Jesus......God YOUR creation is driving me crazy!

And you might think this is disrespectful or even funny.....but if you have ever thought of God, Jesus or the Holy Spirit as having reached the end of the patience quota with you......then we have given them human qualities.
And if you traveled this road like me.....you might want to ask the Holy Spirit to show you if there are any other thoughts that you have had about God that are not true.
We live in this world.....and we are human....these thoughts come by way of this human skin of ours. That and an enemy who is always willing to feed us a pack of lies.
But God wants to change them. And as He changes the way we think.... about how He thinks of us......our love for Him grows.
How can it help but not grow?
Scripture says we love Him because He first loved us.

Not trying to preach here......just thought if God is trying to take me a little deeper here....maybe He is dealing with some of you about the same thing.
So....is He?
And would you be willing to share what He is saying?
I would love to hear what you are learning.

7 comments:

Melanie said...

I tend to have pretty negative thoughts too. I was never like that when I was younger and I don't know when those thoughts started sneaking in. But thanks for the reminder that I need to keep those negative thoughts away!

Denise said...

God is teaching me to lay down some heavy burdens from the past, and never pick them up again.

pam said...

My favorite "talking for God" is, "hmmm, well you missed the boat on this one...you blew it...don't really know when but I'll(God)check back in in a while" GOOD GLORY...I love to speak my silly thoughts out loud and think about who He is...His character...His love and allow Him to embrace me.
I was actually hoping for some gorgeous picture of a rushing river....just finished mowing and thought "jump in" sounded so inviting....but so was your version of jump in. Hope you have a grand week Sharon.

You know sitting in front of me at my desk is that photo you sent with the scripture about living waters....soaking it in...thank you

pam said...

RYC: I don't really like the white background but I didn't like any of the solid colors and finding a fun background likes yours seems time consuming...not sure what I will do. I LOVE your header. Maybe now that I've cleaned up after mowing I will sit here for a bit and look for backgrounds.

Finding peace with God is such a gift...I seriously don't know how the world does it...walking life on their own.

Sandi said...

You might like the book I'm reading.
He Love Me (the relationship God has always wanted with you) by Wayne Jacobsen

Winging It said...

Oohh! I have 2 devotions that are long but right on this topic...I get them from Kim Potter- A New Things Ministries 4-6 days per week. I will send them to you via e-mail..they just came this week. You will get a kick out of them! I can't tell you how much God has confirmed the leading of the Holy Spirit to me thru her ministry. Which has been such a blessing with the trying season I have been in, in my home church. Anyway these 2 that I am thinking of came this week...and I have to say that I don't so much "imagine" the negative thoughts/words of God towards me. NOOO, I am wayyyy too busy with my own very negative self talk in certain areas. My negative talk comes in the areas that it seems like I go around and around in a circle...I am working to "tear down" those mental strongholds, very diligently right now, by speaking God's Word about the situation and about His good thoughts towards me and my family.

Making progress I am most happy to report! We need that px call soon, Chickie-poo!

Great post! Speaking of jumping in and pictures of rushing rivers...I was talking about that today with a sister in Christ! And as I read and type I am picturing the beautiful river of crystal clear waters in the new Heaven and new earth and I can't wait to jump in that, let me just tell you!

God bless!
Maria

Fitter After 50 said...

Well you asked.....I believe a lot of those negative thoughts (lies really) we have come to accept and believe about God we learned from the pulpits. Need I say more?