Thinking

“What were you thinking?” This was a question that I’ve been asked right after something I said or did “blew up in my face”!  I don’t always think before I speak. I’m sure that I’m not the only person who struggles with “disease”.  I also get frustrated with my thoughts at times. The things that pass through my brain are disturbing. I’m thankful that not all that stuff comes out in words or activities for sure.

Jesus was involved in an incident where He responded to the thoughts of the Pharisees and not their words. He calls them out. Check this out…

¹ Jesus climbed into a boat and went back across the lake to his own town.² Some people brought to him a paralyzed man on a mat. Seeing their faith, Jesus said to the paralyzed man, “Be encouraged, my child! Your sins are forgiven.”

³ But some of the teachers of religious law said to themselves, “That’s blasphemy! Does he think he’s God?”

⁴ Jesus knew what they were thinking, so he asked them, “Why do you have such evil thoughts in your hearts? ⁵ Is it easier to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or ‘Stand up and walk’? ⁶ So I will prove to you that the Son of Man has the authority on earth to forgive sins.” Then Jesus turned to the paralyzed man and said, “Stand up, pick up your mat, and go home!”

⁷ And the man jumped up and went home! ⁸ Fear swept through the crowd as they saw this happen. And they praised God for sending a man with such great authority. (Matthew 9:1-8 NLT)

I must deal with skeptical thoughts.

I must deal with sinful thoughts.

I must admit that my motives are not always pure. The Lord knows when I’m genuine and when I’m fake. He knows when I mean what I’m saying, and He knows when I’m just saying what others want to hear.

I sometimes identify with the religious leaders who think the worst scenario instead of the best case.

I’m so thankful that the Lord knows my heart. He knows that I want Him to be King of my heart. He knows my deepest thoughts and my motives, and He loves me anyway. He sees something in me that I don’t see in myself.  I’m so thankful for His grace and forgiveness for my thoughts and my actions. In the Lord’s economy my thoughts (even though they might be secret) represent a heart issue. If they stay in my thoughts, they don’t harm others, they just harm me. The problem is, if those evil thoughts are not dealt with, they will become actions that I’m responsible for. The sin in my life starts with my thinking. I need the Lords help with this for sure.

Pressing On!

Dwayne