A Powerful Shift

In the multitude of my [anxious] thoughts within me, Your comforts cheer and delight my soul! Psalm 94:19 Amplified Bible

More than any outward circumstance or the external component of my day, the place of trouble for me is often my own thoughts. Joyce Meyer had it right with the title of her book The Battlefield of the Mind. It is the place of greatest attack by the enemy and a factory that produces far too much frustration. Just one unguarded thought can rob me of peace, reek havoc in relationships, spiral me down emotionally, produce fear, and cause much inner turmoil. Like an out of control fire, a fierce storm at sea, or forceful hurricane gales, anxious thoughts are destructive and wide sweeping. Often, I do not notice the occasional thoughts that make their way into my mind. I make the mistake of letting them accumulate until they multiply in number and strength. That is when I suddenly realize my reasoning has become clouded, my steps have become uncertain, and my sense of security has been shaken. It is not a place I desire to be and certainly not a place God intends for me to stay!

What brings them on? It may be a stray comment someone made, an unmet need that has persisted, disappointment, boredom, loneliness, tiredness, personal failure, discontentment, comparisons of others, unconfessed sin, or any number of things. Some are fiery darts of the enemy and others are issues that need to be brought to God for correction. Whichever the case may be they have the potential to cause a lot of distress and pain.

I don’t know how He does it but as soon as I begin to get the hidden thoughts out in the open with Him, He begins to clear away the troubling thoughts and replace them with truth. I feel the weight of oppression lifting and my spirit breathing freely once again. It is like taking an antihistamine for my soul! I not only feel the effects internally but changes begin to take place outwardly. My demeanor, stance, and countenance reflect the delight I am experiencing. As my soul lights up so do my eyes!

That is one of the reasons I enjoy reading the Psalms. I like to see the shifts! David goes from voicing fears and frustrations to explosions of praise and delight! His train of thoughts shifts from focusing on himself and his circumstances to the faithfulness and power of God! THAT is what I crave because that is what I have gotten a taste of in my relationship with my heavenly Father. His counsel and comfort are addictive and irreplaceable. Praise Him!

Father, Your comforts do delight my soul! May I resist the urge to go after any counterfeits that pose as You. Arrest my soul as I rest in You. Amen.