It has been the kind of week where I woke up almost daily thinking, “If someone comes at me today, I’m going to cut them.” Hi, I’m a Christian. More specifically, I’m in the ministry and I run a blog and write books on the subject of worship. It’s been a rough week and I didn’t take it well. Want to come to my church? Oh, and by the way, you should know up front I’m a very, very real person. A human, actually. Sometimes a little too real, I’ll admit, but still out there being me and trying not to embarrass Jesus when someone whips into my spot at Target even though my directional was clearly blinking…..
Right up front I’m going to tell you that being a real person and being a Christian aren’t two conflicting states of being- at least not in my world. I hope you’ll join me here as I, a real human, navigate life in light of the grace of God. Whether or not you believe in Jesus, accept Jesus, like Jesus or think you’re Jesus, I am looking forward to sharing some thoughts, lessons learned, regrets (maybe), insights, challenges and other sundry real-person, life-actually wisdom that will hopefully inspire or at least entertain you.
All that to say, hi.
Here’s a thought I’ve been mulling over during my week-from-literal-hell (no, not literal). In Philippians 4:8, the apostle Paul, arguably one of the baddest Bible characters in the whole book wrote, “Finally, brothers (ok, and sisters, you know what he means!) whatever things are true, whatever things are honest, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue, and if there is any praise, think on these things.” He wrote this while he was in prison, by the way. (Oh, and he was thrown into prison for being a Christian, not for all the people he’d murdered in the years before his conversion, but I digress)
I have found that the wisdom of the Word of God sustained me, kept my focus away from the storm outside and helped me redirect my energies into the things that really mattered
So, I’ve been challenging myself to try, to just try, for crying out loud, to think on things that keep my mind in a state of spiritual peace, that don’t get me “in the flesh” as a Christian would put it. And you know what? Things that are pure, lovely, of good report, virtuous and praiseworthy are great things to think about. Mind over matter! Did my situation change? No, not really. (Actually, it got worse.)
But I have found that the wisdom of the Word of God sustained me, kept my focus away from the storm outside and helped me redirect my energies into the things that really mattered, the things that did bring me joy. What are those things for you? Food for thought.
So, let’s move forward with Jesus at the wheel! (Still don’t take my spot at Target though.)
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