Renewing Your Mind

How often have we let our thoughts rule our lives? How often do we let those voices inside our head tease us, pick at us, or scream at us? How often do we just give in to those thoughts? 

I have had my moments in my life when I let the defeat and doubt rule my thoughts. It is not fun. Once I come out of it and on the other side of my inferior thoughts, I wish I hadn't gone down the rabbit hole. I realize that God doesn't want us to waste our life in these thoughts. Thoughts that aren't true to begin with in the first place! He wants the best for us, especially in our mind. 

In Paul's letter to the Romans, he writes in chapter 12, verse 2, "Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will." The words that stand out to me in this verse are transformed by the renewing of your mind. 

To be transformed means to become something new, to be changed. Renew means to make like new, to restore to freshness, vigor, or perfection. So how does this apply to your mind? If we renew (restore or make new) our thinking or mind, we will be transformed. We will become someone new. 

In Philippians 4:8, Paul tells us on what to think about: "Finally, brothers and sisters, 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." When we think on these things, we have peace. (Phil. 4:9b) 

When you find yourself starting to give in to your thoughts of defeat, despair, doubt, disbelief or darkness, reach out to God. Choose to tell him your thoughts. Share with him your doubts and feelings. He won't turn you away. Ask for his help in changing what you think about. Life is hard and can throw us curveballs. God knows that. But don't let the curveballs defeat you! God only wants the best for us, to know his will for our lives. Let him renew your mind, so that your life can be lived to the fullest. 

 Remember

Eighteen years ago, I was a fourth grade teacher in a suburb of Atlanta, Georgia. I had just announced to my class that I was going to have a baby in December. As nine and ten year olds go, there was some excitement from mostly the girls, but all had questions. Announcing big events in your personal life as a teacher is both important to do at times and should also be done with sensitivity. A teacher’s hope is that business as usual is assumed as soon as possible for maximum learning, no matter the news.

A few days had passed since the big announcement and one of my students approached me as I sat at my computer before the start of school. He presented me with an ornate box to open. “It’s for your baby. It will bring him good luck and health.” Opening the box revealed a beautiful etched glass covered bowl with 100 cranes and other folded animals inside. I took it home and proudly placed it on the dresser in our not-yet-finished nursery.

Since that day, the cranes have traveled with Zach to each new house in which we have lived. Occasionally, I will pull out a few and tell the story to him again. We usually sit there and look at them and tell stories. Sometimes we ask each other questions as we look. Just this week we unpacked the bowl again. “Do you still want this?” I asked. We again took out the brightly colored folded paper and remarked at what a kind gesture it was for that family to gift this to Zach. I realized, finally, then that the gift was actually for me, and that my student Albert had no idea what he had set up for years, eighteen of them so far, down the road. You see, sitting on a teenager's bed talking about moving, and what “luck” or “prosperity” means is without any question a gift. Over and over now, Albert gave us the chance to be quiet and to do it together, sifting through paper and memories.

Remembering what God has done in my life seems easier when I have quiet and a means of looking back. It doesn’t have to be paper cranes. It could be recipes, photos, quilts, old shoes, or little snapshots stuck in your mind with no place to go. I think that this is an important thing to do right now. Remember, even in the recounting of not so joyous times. In this extra time at home, with more time to be silent or back-looking than before, we may do well to lean into that. It may bring some extra hope. We have been down many roads but we have continued to live in faith and hope. Extending a gift to someone you care about to bolster that “remembering” attitude may last years upon years.  It did for me.   

The Rev. Laura Masterson

Welcoming Every Moment

"The duties of each moment are the shadows beneath which hides the divine operation." 

Jean-Pierre De Caussade 

 

Many of our lives have become a bit more ordinary in these past few months. I don't know about you but for me - many of the moments have been hard to welcome and even imagine that God is working in them. After the initial shock of the COVID disruption, I realized I was cleaning more, cooking more, and maybe if I would let myself - just sitting and soaking in a moment or two. My own soul has been unwinding a little. I am understanding at a deeper level what the above quote means. I don't have my usual go to distractions. A practice called the Welcoming Prayer has helped much when the moment is particularly uncomfortable. It is a practice of letting go into the present. When I am bored, anxious, angry, or afraid my knee jerk reaction is to get away from these feelings and corresponding body sensations. If my desire is to be close to God however, I need to breathe and stay present.

 

WELCOMING PRAYER AS DEVELOPED THROUGH CONTEMPLATIVE OUTREACH 

At any particular moment when you feel "triggered" by an outer event, there will be a corresponding bodily sensation associated with it. Maybe it is a tightening in your chest or butterflies in your stomach. The fight or flight instinct will take over. You will often do whatever it takes to get rid of that feeling. Instead of doing that try the following steps: 1) Feel and sink into whatever you are experiencing in your body. Do not resist it - just experience the energy. Scan your body for any uneasiness - just follow it. All experiences are carried in every cell of your body. 2) "Welcome" is the sacred word, the symbol of our consent to the presence and action of the Indwelling Spirit. What you welcome is not the anxiety or whatever feeling you may have but you are welcoming God's activity in it. Instead of running from the feeling, you will breath and sink into it. 3) After we welcome whatever is going on you say the "Letting Go" phrase. "I let go of my desire for security, affection, control and embrace the moment as it is." When we let go, we pass through whatever we are feeling instead of running from it. Some call this prayer a healthy pause. I invite you to try this practice. If you would like to explore it more with me I would certainly welcome that. I am finding that it is a transformational practice of praying while on the go. God's peace to all as we grow together in this new year.