On Mindful Monday, my readers and I practice the art of pausing, TRYING to be still, or considering, ever so briefly, the big picture. We're hoping this soul time will provide enough peace of mind to get us through the week!
In the Gospel of Mark (1:21-28), we read:
Then they came to Capernaum, and ... in their synagogue was a man with an unclean spirit; he cried out, "What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are - the Holy One of God!" Jesus rebuked him and said, "Quiet! Come out of him!" The unclean spirit convulsed him and with a loud cry came out of him. All were amazed and asked one another, "What is this? A new teaching with authority. He commands even the unclean spirits and they obey him."
The unclean spirits obeyed him.
Now that gives me hope.
Because lately it seems like I'm surrounded by unclean spirits ... I run into more of them than pairs of dirty underwear in my son's room. Everywhere I turn, it seems, I'm being presented with an opportunity to buy into the lie of greed, jealousy, lust, and selfishness. And I'm not just talking about the billboard of a seductive woman in black lingerie (or a red, silk dress) pouring a glass of Absolut vodka for her George Clooney look alike. The more dangerous lies are the more subtle ones that whisper in my ear "if you simply do this ... you will make it to the promised land of happiness."
So sometimes I succumb. I do it. I tell a half-truth. I gossip about a friend. I agree to write a piece for an online dating service that I don't feel all that great about because they pay well. Only to find out these things don't bring me happiness and peace. On the contrary, they bring up breakfast. Because now I feel guilty, and dirty, and bad about myself.
I've become more cognizant evil's hold over me these days: when all my attempts to break free from an obsessive loop of thoughts fails, when my body takes orders from the very thoughts I'm trying to exorcise, so that I'm convinced if I don't acquire the object I desire--a person, place, or thing--than I'm dead to the world. I don't matter anymore.
But I also know the antidote to this spiritual warfare inside my soul.
Prayer.
It doesn't have to be perfect, and Lord knows my prayers aren't. But if I only turn to Him as soon as the faulty message registers, then I have a better chance of outsmarting it before my body has heard it and starts producing Cortisol (the stress hormone ... i.e. really bad stuff). If I can ask God to command that bugger to get the heck out of my mind and soul and heart, it will. Moreover, if I commit myself to prayer, God's word will get my attention, even in the busyness of my day. Because it's like the benevolent creator has gotten a hold of one of those annoying voice transformers that you don't want to give your kids for Christmas. Yeah, now you know what I'm talking about.
With God on my side, I can outsmart even the most manipulative attempts of darkness to take over. By talking to God (sometimes CONSTANTLY), I can initiate the downward pull of Christ that spiritual author Henri Nouwen writes about:
Although this spiritual life may well seem enigmatic, intangible, and elusive to us who live in a scientific age, its fruits leave little doubt about the radical transformation it brings about. Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, trustfulness, gentleness, and self-control are indeed the qualities of our Lord himself and reveal his presence in the midst of a world so torn apart by idolatry, envy, greed, sexual irresponsibility, war, and other sin ... It is not hard to distinguish the upward pull of our world from the downward pull of Christ.
We will never be without struggle. But when we persevere with hope, courage, and confidence, we will come to fully realize in our innermost being that through the downward road of Christ we will enter with him into his glory. So let us ... resist our temptation, and be ever committed to a life of ongoing formation.
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Thank you for this article. This may not be the place for this but please pray for me. I am struggling mightily with an issue and need help. I pray often and the Lord led me here. I cannot help but think it was purposeful. Thank you and GOD bless you all.
Dear Theresa... I can definately relate to your article... it is the little sugar demons that we trip over in life... and yes prayer does definately make the difference... My Pastor Stephen Powers at the Mandarin Assembly of God here in Jacksonville, Florida reminds us almost every time we congregate the importance of marinating in the Holy Spirit... 'giving Praise, Thanks and Glory and Prayer to our El Shaddai (Most High)through Jesus Christ. Thank God that He does open our eyes to our weaknesses by humbling us and breaking down the walls of pride. Because I believe that is the 1st step in reckognizing this spiritual battle which we all do go through. Even though our intentions may not be bad, we still must see our mistakes and weaknesses, because if we do not, we will not be able to repent(change). If we do not learn God's Laws and Words, we will not learn discernment and allow Jesus to fix what is damaged in us and deliver us from the demons that do influence us. Have a blessed day and love you in Christ Jesus!
What a refreshing blog. When I was a child my mother would discipline me by sending me into my room to make me think about why I was in trouble. She would tell me that I could come out when I could explain to her what I had done wrong. This forced me to look at what I had done. Most of the time I would try and justify my behavior and get sent back into my room to think it over. I thank my mother for the lessons of self reflection. She also informed me that God would forgive me if I only ask. This became a foundation for me throughout my life and it has been a great gift. I think time should be put aside everyday to self reflect and ask ourselves how God must see us daily. Dialogue with God. The only way to resist temptation, sin, evil, in our daily lives is spoken so eloquently by Paul in First Corinthians 6:18, "Flee immorality". Not slowly walk away, FLEE. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out that scripture. Evil wants every single one of us a statistic of failure. It can lure you in by so many ways, but oh the price you pay when you realize you've been duped. We fell out of the garden and we need to be reminded a lot of why we fell, we just couldn't resist temptation, we made a choice not to listen to God. God has given us a second chance if only we are willing to listen through His word.
God does work in mysterious ways cause i got into a physical fight with my neighbor and was so hateful that i wanted revenge on this woman who had made racial remarks and called my baby stupid. But it funny that i read this message cause i don't want to do something so bad and hateful all i want is to think happily and be happy. So i asked God to please take bad thoughts out of my head and feel me with love and happiness. So now i leave it in gods hands and put all my faith that he will help me and this woman to be at peace.
Dear Theresa, I wanted to say thank you.I sometimes feel the same, just last night i was listening to sermonaudio.com great site with thousands of free sermons..but i was hereing that along with Christ we also share in His sufferings, and it was put in a way that i saw it so clearly, if i want to be more like Him i must suffer what he suffered as well, but the glory of his Grace always comes after, and we are stronger for it, like the scripture that says ..for when i am week, i am strong. I am so glad that you listed the fruit's of the Spirit as well, it gives' us hope in what is to come if we continue on this path with our Savior, i make those little mistakes myself, and when im doing them i know there wrong but i quickly justify some how, only to reap what i have sown soon after..im so happy i came across you'r blog..you are the kind of Lady i would love to sit and have tea with, may God Bless you dearly.
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