Do you ever have moments where you find yourself caught up in a painful memory from your past? Maybe it was something you did or said. Maybe you were on the receiving end of someone else's stupidity. Whatever it was, with the recollection of the event comes the rehashing of the associated emotions. Nothing like an emotional rehash to take you out of the present! When I drop my defenses; when I let down the guard around my heart and mind, it's a perfect opportunity for Satan to slip in and do what he does best...steal, kill and destroy.
I believe that God has a plan for my life. I believe that the plans He has are good, are for my good and for His glory. I believe that He has written a beautiful story for my life. I also believe, however, that we have an Adversary roaming this earth. he delights in our downfalls and failures. He takes great pleasure in being able to derail us from God's purpose and he will use ANYTHING and stop at NOTHING. Emotional rehashes are something he likes to use on me. Given the right circumstances, I will become as anxious, exasperated, and emotionally undone as I was in that particular blast from the past. I get caught up in wondering how things would have played out differently if my actions/reactions had been different. Precious time in the here and now gets lost to worry about what was. Slogging through yesterday's/last month's/last year's emotional swamp is dangerous. Stay too long and you never find your way out. Bitterness replaces your joy and before you can say "Bob's your uncle, " your life is about as vibrant as dishwater!
As I've gotten older, I've figured out what triggers these unpleasant trips down Memory Lane. Usually, it comes down to my spiritual tank running on empty...lack of time spent in prayer and Bible study, lack of time spent with fellow Believers, lack of time spent in worship. If I'm sick or sad or stressed. In figuring out the triggers, I've also figured out what I need to do to stop it. It's pretty simple....I just say, "Not today." Most of the time, it's something internal. There have been moments when I've had to say it out loud...loud and out loud! James 4:7 "Submit yourselves to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you."
Not today, Satan. You can't steal what isn't yours. You are not the source of my joy or my strength or my life. You can't kill or destroy what you didn't create...especially since creation isn't something you can do. I've made mistakes, yes. I've said and done things that are hurtful and that shames me, but in seeking forgiveness, I'm no longer bound by guilt. In offering forgiveness to those who've wronged me, WHETHER OR NOT THEY ASK FOR IT, resentment and bitterness just melt away. So, not today and frankly, NOT EVER! My life is not intended for your personal enjoyment. It's not a garbage can or a worthless replication. It is intentional, divinely scripted, unique and a thing of beauty. No room for you in it; BE GONE!
And oh, BTW, I've read the end of The Book and not only do you lose today...you lose FOREVER! Just sayin'!
I believe that God has a plan for my life. I believe that the plans He has are good, are for my good and for His glory. I believe that He has written a beautiful story for my life. I also believe, however, that we have an Adversary roaming this earth. he delights in our downfalls and failures. He takes great pleasure in being able to derail us from God's purpose and he will use ANYTHING and stop at NOTHING. Emotional rehashes are something he likes to use on me. Given the right circumstances, I will become as anxious, exasperated, and emotionally undone as I was in that particular blast from the past. I get caught up in wondering how things would have played out differently if my actions/reactions had been different. Precious time in the here and now gets lost to worry about what was. Slogging through yesterday's/last month's/last year's emotional swamp is dangerous. Stay too long and you never find your way out. Bitterness replaces your joy and before you can say "Bob's your uncle, " your life is about as vibrant as dishwater!
As I've gotten older, I've figured out what triggers these unpleasant trips down Memory Lane. Usually, it comes down to my spiritual tank running on empty...lack of time spent in prayer and Bible study, lack of time spent with fellow Believers, lack of time spent in worship. If I'm sick or sad or stressed. In figuring out the triggers, I've also figured out what I need to do to stop it. It's pretty simple....I just say, "Not today." Most of the time, it's something internal. There have been moments when I've had to say it out loud...loud and out loud! James 4:7 "Submit yourselves to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you."
Not today, Satan. You can't steal what isn't yours. You are not the source of my joy or my strength or my life. You can't kill or destroy what you didn't create...especially since creation isn't something you can do. I've made mistakes, yes. I've said and done things that are hurtful and that shames me, but in seeking forgiveness, I'm no longer bound by guilt. In offering forgiveness to those who've wronged me, WHETHER OR NOT THEY ASK FOR IT, resentment and bitterness just melt away. So, not today and frankly, NOT EVER! My life is not intended for your personal enjoyment. It's not a garbage can or a worthless replication. It is intentional, divinely scripted, unique and a thing of beauty. No room for you in it; BE GONE!
And oh, BTW, I've read the end of The Book and not only do you lose today...you lose FOREVER! Just sayin'!
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