Take last night, for instance. I had this awful dream. Rarely (praise the Good Lord) am I one who has bad dreams but for the past week or so I have been taking a Melatonin pill (under my doctor's advisement) each night because my sleep pattern has been interrupted. One of the side effects of this supplement though is that it can cause folks to have vivid dreams and/or nightmares. Twice since I have been on this I have had some doozies!
Anyway, throughout this episode last night, my subconscious mind would tell my self in the dream to not think a certain way. Or it would recall scripture to help me fight the fear that was overtaking me. Recollections of lessons my hubby taught me on gun control (oh yeah: my mind went there) and the best way to protect myself ran through the halls of my dwelling. I could even tell myself to wake up, this was only a dream, and to not let my thoughts be led astray by things that were only being imagined. Whew! It was exhausting and my thoughts this morning are that I'd rather miss a few zzzzs than to go through this stuff again!
II Corinthians 10:5 tells us that we are to captivate our thoughts. Yes, I've written on this before and probably will again because our minds just don't stop! We need to be constantly reminded of what is true and how to stop negativity from taking over our minds--even when we think they are shut down and resting during our sleeping times. Think about it a moment: when you dream, are you in control? Do you ever find yourself longing to stay asleep because the fantasy going on in your head is just too good to leave? For many, sleep is an escape but for some it's just another place to be attacked by that sneaky devil. Memories of the past are intertwined with hopes for the future when life is just a little too real for some of us to think of. Plus, in our dreams, we can put on those rose-colored glasses and nudge our thoughts into directions that didn't really pan out in reality. For instance, in my dreams, my parents loved and cared for me. When I dream of them, I can often somehow lead my thoughts down this road and find security that I lacked when they were still alive. I can be the favorite--or at least one who was favored. But when I wake up? The desolation returns and the devil scores another victory for making me lose my joy during that time when I should have been refreshing and preparing for another day of the Lord.
It's tough, friends, taking these thoughts and putting them on hold, if allowing them to come out at all. When our defenses are down--such as when we sleep, are sick, or are just feeling sorry for ourselves--we are most vulnerable. The devil doesn't go on vacation and therefore we must be on guard continuously! So, as you know, today is Monday. Get your armor out and on! Don't let the troubles that are going to come catch you unawares. Be prepared and you know what? That's half of the battle. Knowing you will be attacked when you least expect it--but instead you do expect it because you are a grown-up Christian now and know better--will assist you in being victorious. The other half though? That half comes from the Lord Himself. He told us that when we are weak, He is strong. He told us He'd carry those burdens for us. He told us His yoke was easy and to come to Him with our cares. So, let's take Him up on it, shall we? Oh yeah: if someone is willing to make my life easier, you can bet I'm taking advantage of that! Won't you too?
Let's pray!
Dear Lord, how great it is that You take care of Your own, that You allow us rest when we are most tired. Father, our minds are playgrounds and we want to be able to have fun up there, not be tormented on the merry-go-round that often threatens to make us dizzy and lose our balance. We want to laugh and be carefree but too often we instead are careless and wander where we shouldn't. Help us, sweet Lord, to not venture into territories that are unknown except when we are fully sure that You are leading us there. Help us to filter our eyes so that what goes into our heads is pure, sweet, lovely, kind, and true. Smarten us up so that we don't believe the lies of the devil. Remind us our pasts are done with and we cannot change them nor romanticize them into things that they just really weren't. Our future is in You, Lord God. Help us, I ask, to press forward, leaving the past behind, not giving into vain wonderings, and help us mostly, Lord, to think on You. This is my prayer and I believe You will answer it because it will honor You. I am boldly coming to You this morning, God, because my needs are so great that I must tell You about them and believe that You will fix me. I know You can help me. You delight in this so today, please Father, delight in me. Amen.
This is really good. The blog is good but the truth behind the blog is even better. Real truth for real people.
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