So I'm back today, and it feels good to be consistent (sorta); I aimed to post on Friday, but then this weekend was so busy. I am still trying to figure out what day of the week is the best for me to post. I'll figure it out soon enough.
I have been spending the last two weeks or so doing a lot of reflecting. I was forced to slow down after I slipped and fell. According to the doctors and x-rays my wrist was fractured, but I'm believing in supernatural healing. So as far as I'm concerned the fracture is already healed underneath this cast. Practically I'm doing alright; I'm definitely not in much pain. I'd say about once or twice a week the wrist is a little irritated, but otherwise I am able to do basically everything. Some things happen a little more slowly, but slowing down has been good. It has allowed me to reflect more, and it has helped me begin to change the way I think. I know I know, it sounds so cliché to say that this injury has allowed me to have some grand revelation or epiphany about my life and about God, but the truth is God sometimes needs us to slow down so that we can hear Him clearly. Let me share some of what I've learned.
The United Negro College fund (UNCF) uses this tagline: "a mind is a terrible thing to waste." Because this organization provides scholarships for students (one of which I was grateful to receive during my undergrad), I didn't really think much about the slogan at the time. I mean it makes sense right? They give scholarships to support students' education because they wouldn't want these students to lose out on their education. Plain and simple. But over the last week or so, I began to think about this a little bit differently. Our minds aren't just wasted if we choose not to learn daily (whether in school or just in life). But more than that our minds are wasted on negative thinking. We are using precious brain power to entertain the lies of the enemy, our fears, anxieties, and other things that God didn't call us to think about. There's a reason why Paul wrote that we should think on things that are just, pure, good, lovely, praiseworthy, etc (Philippians 4:8). Because the truth is that if we choose to think about the opposite we are wasting precious time and energy to walk opposite of the direction that God called us. Choosing to think on that which is negative is choosing not to look towards God. Last week, we talked about how it's so important to keep our eyes fixed on God, the author and perfecter of our faith (Hebrews 12:2), on the God who is orchestrating our processes. Why entertain our fears? Why entertain our doubts? Why be double minded and unstable in all of our ways (James 1:8)? If God has told you to do it, you should just trust Him. There's no need to weigh the pros and the cons and the fears and doubts.
Let me talk about me real quick. When I fell, I found myself in a situation that I've never been in before. I needed to ask people for help doing things that I've been doing on my own for quite some time. I couldn't put on a coat by myself, I wasn't comfortable driving. I can't write because my thumb is "immobilized." The list goes on. But God revealed to me (through various people) that there is a list of things that I can do. I was choosing to focus on all of the things that I could not do. And since I was using my energy focused on the things I could not do or about my fears of the things that I thought I couldn't do, I was not able to see the things that I could do. I was so upset, so distraught, so overwhelmed by that short list, while there was a longer list of good. There were so many reasons why I could praise God. I could have hit my face on the concrete and had a concussion or permanent damage to my brain or skull, but God protected me. I could've broken my leg or my ankle and not been able to walk or drive, but God didn't allow that to happen. I CAN drive because I predominantly use my left hand and still have access to my fingers on my right hand. I was still able to contribute to a piece being ministered by the dance ministry that I'm a part of; I just had to modify some things. This list only scratches the surface, and I praise God for all of these blessings. It's true that I'm frequently reminded of the things I can't do with my right hand, and that's frustrating. While it is valid to feel this way, it's a problem choosing to sit in that frustration. The word of God says be angry and do not sin (Ephesians 4:26). Because we WILL be angry, we will be frustrated, we will be disappointed, we will be overwhelmed, but we have to choose not to let those emotions dictate our actions. We have to choose to look to Him. We have to tell our minds to think on God and to think on the good things and to think on that which we are thankful for and to think on all that stuff that Paul told us to think on. Let me tell you: it feels good to change your perspective to a God one. I've felt so much better looking to Him and to what I can do in this season. I hope you can choose to change your thinking today.
Homework Time: 1) Ask God to reveal to you what you've been thinking negatively about. 2) Ask God to reveal to you the good (God) in the situation. 3) Begin to replace the negative thoughts with what God says. 4) Take note of how you feel after a week. Let me know if you see the difference.
Because we need to focus on the good.
Thanks for reading and remember that you are GRACED and that God loves you so much 💜
March 21, 2021