Dark Detours
Pastor Pat shared the following in this week's newsletter:
"I was reading recently about life and faith. There are those who are constantly finding life challenging their faith. These may feel like the “fiery darts” Satan shoots at us. Then I find there are those who are constantly challenging their lives with their faith. Faith is where they live and it challenges the faulty presuppositions of life."
Today on the blog, Anieta Hopper (Finance Manager) is sharing her experience with life and faith, and she gives a few excellent steps to take when you find that you've taken a detour away from the path.
Do you ever drift into a dark place mentally and emotionally and consequently spiritually? I don’t often but recently I found myself in that place. I received some unsettling news from my doctor and I went onto what would be considered a “reliable and recommended” website to research what this may mean. Never a good idea! It said that if this happens then it is time to consider palliative care to control pain and to start thinking about hospice. Whoa! I wasn’t ready to go there.
Normally I would take those negative thoughts captive, focus on Christ and get on with life. Not this time. Instead I’d look at my husband and think I’m not ready to leave him yet, even though I know I’m headed for a better place. I’d think about my grandchildren and cry because I want to see them grow up and see the wonderful people they will become. I’d think about our plans for retirement and wonder if I’d ever see those dreams fulfilled.
Thankfully, I didn’t linger there long …but long enough to be reminded that I took an unnecessary detour into an unpleasant place. The Scriptures are replete with so much wise counsel on how to handle any and every situation life will throw at us. God has promised to always be with us, to never leave us or forsake us. He has promised to keep in perfect peace those whose minds are stayed on him. There is nothing too hard for Him. He loves us with an everlasting love and takes great delight in us. He rejoices over us with singing. On and on go the truths and promises from God’s Word. We just need to remember how God has faithfully kept His promises to us in the past, to claim them anew and live by them.
When negative thoughts attack my mind and the battle starts to rage, what is my responsibility?
1. Take captive those negative thoughts. Give them no credence. Claim God’s promises. Obey His Word.
2 Corinthians 10:5 “We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.”
2. Fix my focus to keep perspective.
Colossians 3:1-3 “Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God.”
3. Pray.
Philippians 4:6-7 “Don’t worry about anything, but pray about everything. With thankful hearts offer up your prayers and requests to God. Then, because you belong to Christ Jesus, God will bless you with peace that no one can completely understand. And this peace will control the way you think and feel.” (CEV)
4. Trust God. He is fully reliable so I can take one step at a time all the way to Heaven knowing that I can fully trust in Him.
Isaiah 26:3 “You will keep the mind that is dependent on You in perfect peace, for it is trusting in You.”
"I was reading recently about life and faith. There are those who are constantly finding life challenging their faith. These may feel like the “fiery darts” Satan shoots at us. Then I find there are those who are constantly challenging their lives with their faith. Faith is where they live and it challenges the faulty presuppositions of life."
Today on the blog, Anieta Hopper (Finance Manager) is sharing her experience with life and faith, and she gives a few excellent steps to take when you find that you've taken a detour away from the path.
Do you ever drift into a dark place mentally and emotionally and consequently spiritually? I don’t often but recently I found myself in that place. I received some unsettling news from my doctor and I went onto what would be considered a “reliable and recommended” website to research what this may mean. Never a good idea! It said that if this happens then it is time to consider palliative care to control pain and to start thinking about hospice. Whoa! I wasn’t ready to go there.
Normally I would take those negative thoughts captive, focus on Christ and get on with life. Not this time. Instead I’d look at my husband and think I’m not ready to leave him yet, even though I know I’m headed for a better place. I’d think about my grandchildren and cry because I want to see them grow up and see the wonderful people they will become. I’d think about our plans for retirement and wonder if I’d ever see those dreams fulfilled.
Thankfully, I didn’t linger there long …but long enough to be reminded that I took an unnecessary detour into an unpleasant place. The Scriptures are replete with so much wise counsel on how to handle any and every situation life will throw at us. God has promised to always be with us, to never leave us or forsake us. He has promised to keep in perfect peace those whose minds are stayed on him. There is nothing too hard for Him. He loves us with an everlasting love and takes great delight in us. He rejoices over us with singing. On and on go the truths and promises from God’s Word. We just need to remember how God has faithfully kept His promises to us in the past, to claim them anew and live by them.
When negative thoughts attack my mind and the battle starts to rage, what is my responsibility?
1. Take captive those negative thoughts. Give them no credence. Claim God’s promises. Obey His Word.
2 Corinthians 10:5 “We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.”
2. Fix my focus to keep perspective.
Colossians 3:1-3 “Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God.”
3. Pray.
Philippians 4:6-7 “Don’t worry about anything, but pray about everything. With thankful hearts offer up your prayers and requests to God. Then, because you belong to Christ Jesus, God will bless you with peace that no one can completely understand. And this peace will control the way you think and feel.” (CEV)
4. Trust God. He is fully reliable so I can take one step at a time all the way to Heaven knowing that I can fully trust in Him.
Isaiah 26:3 “You will keep the mind that is dependent on You in perfect peace, for it is trusting in You.”