…..Yesterday I woke up while the house was quiet and bopped downstairs to get with God and spend some time in the Word. I had good intentions but then suddenly while I was praying and pondering, a negative thought crossed my mind. It led to another thought, and another and before I knew it…I was feeling ‘ugh’. Dreary, weak and slightly oppressed. I began to trace where this sensation was coming from and it had all begun with a single thought…which led to more thinking, retracing, trying to re-do something in my mind…the whole thing colored a good chunk of my morning and robbed me of life, strength, joy, energy and precious time.
It occurred to me that particular thoughts can become my sinkholes – deep, dark places filled with quicksand. It’s like I’m on my merry way, oblivious of danger, when suddenly I find myself mentally or emotionally tripping into what can become a pit of despair if I don’t crawl out of it quickly! Oftentimes, it’s ridiculously unimportant in the scope of life and a ‘repeat sinkhole’ that I’ve already spent too much time in previously.
Ephesians 4:17 comes to mind, “So I tell you this, and insist on it in the Lord, that you must no longer live as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their thinking.” Thinking can be so futile. Websters defines futile as: vain, useless, lacking purpose, ineffective, trifling, unimportant, fruitless.
The longer we think, mull and rehearse, the deeper the black hole becomes and the longer it takes to recover and get back up on top of that thing.
If we can ‘flag’ our sinkholes, anticipating those weak areas of our thought-life, surely we can leap over them with a little effort, instead of falling into them. Let’s beware of sinkholes in 2009 as we’re finding God.
Some thinking is fruitful and profitable according to Philippians 4:8, “Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.
January 9th, 2009 at 1:32 am
Hi Sweet Sister and Friend,
Wow…I know those darned sinkholes!!! Today, I had a wonderful, fabulous, best in a long time-time with my Daddy in Heaven! I got to journal to Him, He spoke back to me and I journaled that, He led me to some exact points in His Word that He knew were perfect for me today. It just couldn’t get better. Then, guess what? A real live storm (in the form of a person) showed up at the door. I, knowing that I am to love the lost, invited the storm in for a few minutes, then the storm left with more, way more than I ever intended. So, then I sat in a gross, yucky, spiritual sinkhole. Oh my. How quickly they can come, and how deceiving they are. I was able to get out with the help of my favorite person, my husband. He knew what happened and prayed for me on the phone. Thank-You, Jesus, for my hubby being so strong and leading me back to Your loving arms where I can rest again.
January 9th, 2009 at 1:14 pm
My thoughts lately have been nothing if not futile and negative. Thanks for the encouragement, and the reminder to take every thought captive!