“Don’t copy the behaviour and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.”—Romans 12:2 (NLT)
I could think of many behaviours or habits that keep me from experiencing God’s will and work in my life.
But I can’t write them all or you’d think I am really hopeless! I’ll be generous and leave out some points for you to write. (that’s on a lighter note!) Here is my list.
Top 2 Habits that keep me from experiencing God's will
1. Acting on impulse
This happens when we panic and don’t think clearly or don’t wait to understand the consequence. An angry or careless word spoken out is a classic example. Many a time, I have wished not having spoken a certain way or said a certain thing. But the word has already gone out and done the damage. ‘Gracious words are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones.‘ Proverbs 16:24
“A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in him, and an evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in him. But I tell you that everyone will have to give account on the day of judgment for every empty word they have spoken. For by your words you will be acquitted, and by your words, you will be condemned.” Matthew 12:35-37
2. Lack of interest in waiting on God
A person’s interest lies in things that give them pleasure and a sense of worth. Our interest lies in varied things. We need to review the kind of ‘interest’ they are.
Is our interest consuming away time that could have been used productively?
Is our interest leading us away from God and family?
Is our interest burning us out?
Is out interest helpful for others?
The huge repository of data that resides on the internet streams information instantly when we seek an answer to a problem. Due to this, we are unable to slow down and listen to God for His direction. Slowing down helps us gather our thoughts and think more clearly. Waiting on God is a process that slows us down. Don’t look at God for a real-time feed. (I feel the technical real-time is only ‘near’ real-time) God is the real-time feed for us. He is the real deal. Yet He does things in His time to educate and strengthen those who are willing to be patient in the waiting period. ‘Look to the Lord and his strength; seek his face always.‘ Psalms 105:4
One step of obedience I want to take this week is to begin breaking those behaviours or habits by subscribing to the right channel.
I mean, to lean more on God and let him control my mind.
'Mind' is where it all begins.
It’s not easy to start a habit. Most times when I tried to embrace a new discipline in life, I have not gone successfully beyond Day 2. Those are times I feel ‘I don’t have it in me.’ But there have been disciplines that I have kept for close to months and years and still continue. I think the answer lies in the genuine interest a person has to get disciplined.
It’s important to let God control our mind to avoid possible pitfalls. There is a time when everyone must have felt like life is falling apart and things are going down south. It is a horrible feeling! It’s partly since we live in a world surrounded by a surreal mix of reality and ‘what we see’. If this is not clear, let me explain.
We see our struggle as something that happens ‘only to us’. We see things with our eyes and believe what it shows.
e.g. A friend posts info about their latest promotion at a job with a scenic view of Prague from her new office. What happens!
There’s a conversation that goes on between you and your mind.
Me: “Wow! She must be doing well with her life, She is going places. I wish I had …”
A voice talks back to me (pls meet ‘Miss If-Only’, she’s the voice in my head).
Miss If-Only: “You missed your chance.”
Me: Uh-huh
Miss If-Only: “You won’t get it now.”
Me: Why
Miss If-Only: “There’s an age to achieve things. Look at you. If-Only you had planned your life well.”
Me: Uh
Miss If-Only: “If you start now, how are you going to manage the rest of the things that you are responsible for. If-Only you had been more serious to achieve things.”
Me: Uh-huh By now, Miss If-Only has started to retrieve, combine, interact with, explore, and visualize data for the past 20 years of my life. She has jumped right ahead to present a descriptive report with all my historic decisions (what happened in the last 20 years), predictive report on what could happen if I don’t do things a certain way and a prescriptive report on what I should do. Miss If-Only is doing a great job bringing up all these reports. I bet she is feeling good about herself, while I continue to sulk, feel pity for myself and feel bad of just about everything. There won’t be an end to what we can think of if we let our mind control us.
Most of our battle starts in the mind.
I have destroyed good friendships based on what I assumed or let myself think.
Here’s, my chance to stop doing things the old way. I believe everyone needs a new start. You can also read – Battlefield Of The Mind: Winning The Battle In Your Mind by Joyce Meyer. “Our past may explain why we’re suffering but we must not use it as an excuse to stay in bondage.” ― Joyce Meyer, a quote from Battlefield of the Mind: Winning the Battle in Your Mind
It’s so important to let go of our past. Every time we start to dwell on it, remind ourselves that it is God who will transform our turbulent mind to a mind with perfect peace! ‘You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast because they trust in you. ‘ Isaiah 26:3
“Satan frequently steals the will of God from us due to reasoning. The Lord may direct us to do a certain thing, but if it does not make sense – if it is not logical – we may be tempted to disregard it. What God leads a person to do does not always make logical sense to his mind. His spirit may affirm it and His mind reject it, especially if it would be out of the ordinary or unpleasant or if it would require personal sacrifice or discomfort.” ― Joyce Meyer, a quote from Battlefield of the Mind: Winning the Battle in Your Mind I enjoy watching animated movies.
And for those who do – Disney's ‘Inside Out’ brings to life a comical representation to emotions conversing inside within the mind of a young girl named Riley. Remember: We have the mind of Christ. It’s a mind that is strong, sensible and that guides well. [1 Corinthians 2:16]
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