I woke up this morning and decided to take a supplement that I haven't taken in quite awhile. One of the added benefits to this supplement is it is a good mood lifter for me. I mean within an hour the world is a grand place, everything is coming up roses & I'm a happy girl!! It's not over the top but a general great attitude is a wonderful side effect!
I was thinking about some of the issues we're facing as a family, pressures with work and other commitments, big projects I have yet to tackle and complete (despite setting goals for myself year after year). Usually I can't think too long about these "problems" or I become overwhelmed. I think it's not doable, it's not going to work, I'm going to fail, etc. etc. But today, all my plans to address these issues seemed a good idea, a good plan, and would result in a good ending. And I was encouraged.
But I stopped and remembered that nothing had changed in my circumstances from yesterday. The same problems and issues were present. The same seemingly insurmountable trials and tribulations existed. But my attitude was different. My feelings were different.
And it reminded me of the study were are concluding in our Women's Bible Study at church. We have been going through Kristie Gant's Hope in God: A Biblical Perspective for Understanding, Overcoming and Preventing Depression. Let me just say. It's excellent. I mean excellent. Even if you've never struggled with depression, it's excellent. It's really a study of the attributes of God and is just so well written. I've learned so MUCH!
One of the things that has stuck with me was the section called "What Do You Know?" which addressed the fact that we must live by what we KNOW, not by what we FEEL. Kristie writes, "Feelings are a wonderful gift from God, but I must let true, godly thoughts control how I feel, and not allow how I feel to control my thoughts…feelings respond to thoughts with little concern for what is real or true…It is interesting to note that the Bible never commands us to change our feelings. Rather, our feelings will change as we control our thoughts in obedience to God's Word." She quotes Matthew 22:37 which states: "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your MIND. This is the first and great commandment." and she quotes Philippians 4:8 "Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy - [Let your mind] dwell on these things."
Later she goes on to say, "If you are a believer, God, through the power of the Holy Spirit, will use His Word to change your life by transforming your thoughts. As He transforms your thoughts, your feelings will come in line with reality. God says over and over to guard your mind and your thoughts." She then quotes several verses, the ones which stood out to me were Lamentations 3:21-23 "Yet this I call to MIND, and therefore I have HOPE: Because of the Lord's great love we are not consumed, for His compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness." Romans 12:2 "And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your MIND, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God."
Later she says, "Thoughts are so fickle when left to themselves! They will run from one thing to another, telling you whatever your flesh wants to hear. And when they do so, they inevitably produce feelings that are hard to control. When you find your thoughts running wild and untamed, you must come against those thoughts and force them out…'…casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ.' 2 Corinthians 10:5 When you determine that a thought is contrary to the Word of God, put it out and tell yourself truth about God instead. Repeat truth to yourself over and over until the thought has completely left."
This is so true! And it hit me like a ton of bricks this morning. I don't (or shouldn't) need a pill to change my outlook on life or my feelings. I texted this to my husband this morning and said, "I am reminded how much FEELINGS can affect my outlook. Nothing has changed about my circumstances or about God's truths and promises. It's just my outlook and how I FEEL. I need to constantly remind myself of God's unchanging truth, love and promises in order to battle my constantly changing feelings."
And that's my deep thought of the day! Ha!
So with that being said, I'll leave you with some links to some videos I posted on Instagram (and Facebook) of some of our adventures from today….hope they work!
