I read somewhere that in a day we will have between 50,000-70,000 thoughts. That is roughly 35-48 thoughts per minute! Weather or not you believe these stats to be accurate I am sure we can agree that we think A LOT of thoughts. How often do we take an inventory of them though? If we do, can we see a pattern? Are there reasons behind the thoughts or do they seem to just come out of nowhere?
I think the most important question of all really is "Is this a Fact or a Feeling?" Here's the thing, feelings more often than not are not facts. The problem therein lies, when we don't take an inventory and we allow these thoughts to simmer long enough they become beliefs! I am certain that most of you are thinking that I am not explaining anything you didn't already know, GOOD! It has been my experience that God has many people (in various ways) tell me the same message until one day, it just clicks. I am going to assume that I am not the only human being that operates this way and pray (literally. i already have.) that this message will be a seed planted firmly in your heart from God.
Yesterday I had the privilege of attending a Holy Yoga retreat (goodness gracious, if you can find a studio near you please do yourself a huge favor and go check it out...I digress.) While there I was asked to write down the lies that I was believing, the ones that were attempting to tell me the story of myself. I am happy to admit that the number of self deprecating descriptors I could jot down in silence about myself was significantly less than any list I had written in my head or on paper before! God is good friends.
None the less, Unworthy, Failure, Uninvited, Weak, Void of Value, Broken.
Not good enough (fill in the blank)
I will never (fill in again)
As these words seemed to struggle onto the page, I realized something was different. I am no stranger to self reflection, this time there was something stirring inside me. Something made me pause with every word I wrote. All at once it was as if the mud was being washed off my eyes and I could see clearly. These were stories that had been told to me in one way or another throughout my life that I let linger and had become beliefs. Just because you hear something, weather from another human being or your own voice inside your head...does not make it truth!
Paul tells us in 2 Corinthians 10 that "we do not wage war as the world does." That the weapons we have to fight with (Jesus, Holy Spirit, the Armor of God) "have the divine power to demolish strongholds" also that we "demolish arguments...that set itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take every thought captive to make it obedient to Christ."
When I took an inventory of my thoughts/beliefs, it was hard to write them down because the Spirit in me (that is in all believers of Jesus) was demolishing those arguments against what GOD says about me. I didn't write this post for me though, I wrote it for YOU. To spur you on in those moments when the inner monologue needs to be ripped up and re-written.
Here's the kicker though, if you are anything like me you have already done this. You've taken the inventory, checked the facts, and submitted those lies to God. My prayer for the better part of the last three years has been "Create in me a clean heart, oh God." (Psalm 51:10) Yesterday when I sat silently before our God, He clearly said to me ~I want you to see what I see when I look at you. I HAVE created in you a clean heart, do you not see it? I have brought water to the wasteland. It was I who brought you into the wilderness, so that you could meet me.~
This message was not just for me! Surely I am no more worthy than you of the love and adoration of Jesus. So I had to share. It is alright to be scared. When we have believed these lies for so long, we also believe that we will be an empty shell without them. That's exactly where God can do His best work! When we empty ourselves before God, He can properly fill us. Don't make God small! He breathed life into existence, He can surely breathe a new story into your heart.
Take a moment to write down those lies. Pray to Jesus ask Him to tell you the Truth He wants you to know! Groan, it's OK. It may very well hurt, but God keeps His promises. In the book of Isaiah we read "Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland." (43:18-19)
Live Loved,
Melissa
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