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Lately I have noticed a few things about my thoughts.

Some of the dramas I have enjoyed watching on TV work on my mind long after I get in bed. Every creak of the floor, any slight shadow movement causes me to jump and my heart to pound as my imagination runs away with me. In an attempt to forget what I just watched, I try to take my thoughts captive so I can fall asleep.

I’ve also noticed I need to remind myself of a few things. Things like … my identity in Christ or the attributes of my God. Sometimes I remind myself of dreams which have been in my heart for a long time.

Basically my thoughts fall into one of two categories – good thoughts and bad thoughts.

Scripture instructs us on our thoughts: “Take every thought captive to make it obedient to Christ.” (2 Corinthians 10:5b, NIV).

I have pretty much always heard this explained in the negative, meaning we are to take captive sinful thoughts and make them submit to Christ and Scripture. But Mark Batterson, in his book Draw the Circle, shed new light on this verse:

“This verse is not just about capturing sinful thoughts and getting them out of our minds; it’s also about capturing creative thoughts and keeping them in our minds. It means stewarding every word, thought, impression, and revelation inspired by the Spirit of God. (page 60)

Think about this one. God has given us ideas and dreams which He deposits into our lives, throughout our lives. If we are not careful, they can easily and quickly and subtly slip through our fingers.

Paul, in writing to Timothy, has this to say twice to Timothy:

“Timothy, guard what has been entrusted to your care.” (1 Timothy 6:20, NIV)

“Guard the good deposit that was entrusted to you – guard it with the help of the Holy Spirit who lives in us.”  (2 Timothy 1:14, NIV)

The word ‘guard’ means “to keep things from escape; to keep things in safety” (from the New Testament Lexical Aids). Paul was telling Timothy to keep safe the things which God had placed inside his heart. And that is true for us as well.

God gives us dreams which need guarding so that they will not be taken from us by a thoughtless comment or a hurtful circumstance. We take captive those good thoughts so that our lives come into the fullness God has for us. There are times, pursuing our dreams will take an act of obedience for it to come to fruition.

There are thoughts we want to get out of our minds with the help of the Holy Spirit.

And there are thoughts we want to keep in our minds by the help of the Holy Spirit.

 

 

GetInline-8This is Day 22 of 31 Days Of Going In Circles. You can find the entire series here .

Today I am joining … Tell His Story and Wedded Wednesday and Wed. Prayer Girls and Works For Me and Coffee & Conversation and Wholehearted Wed .