The best use of our energy is always in the direction of love for ourselves. From that love flows the grace to open our arms to the world. -TheGoodTrade
Good morning world. Wishing you a very bright and happy Monday morning. World seemed like the best way to address the readers of this post, and I hope you take a moment to reflect on my thoughts.
I’ve been dwelling a lot lately on the word “reimagined”. It’s in brackets after a Hillsong Young & Free track called Where You Are. My attention is always drawn to it every time the song plays, and while I assume they are stating the track itself has been reimagined, I can’t help but think of God reimagining where we are.
God’s love is consistently reimagined. It never fades, and is always relevant. Stories in the Bible when put in a contemporary context become relevant, and lessons are to be learned from assessing the similarities between the two contexts.
EMOTIONAL DOMINO EFFECT
No matter your situation, with a little reimagination you can figure out a solution if there’s a problem, or a positive outcome. Emotions tend to overrule, but take them out of the equation by anchoring yourself in Him.
“For as he thinks in his heart, so is he…” (Proverbs 23:7)
It can be easy to blame my feelings and moods on my situation. All it takes is running a little behind and I can feel my insides start to tense up. Then, once I become tense enough, my attitude and actions follow suit.
It’s the emotional domino effect. It’s why something like traffic can become the deciding factor of your attitude and how you treat people for an entire day.
You may have heard “guard your heart” so many times now it feels cliché, but it’s crucial to do so.
A situation may be bad. A circumstance may be hard. A relationship may be rocky. But your emotions don’t have to be controlled by what’s going on around you.
Your mood is a choice; your joy is your job. No one but you is responsible for your heart. Eventually, you have to own your emotions by the grace of God.
Once you own your emotions, you can control them. And when your emotions are in control, you can focus them towards what matters most: loving God with all your heart, soul, and mind and loving your neighbor as yourself (Matthew 22:36-40).
I no longer remember who wrote the above words, it is likely to have come from Steven Furtick. But what a reminder.
So as I sit here and drink my sugary hot milk before bedtime, I’m evaluating my feelings towards the song This Woman’s Work by Kate Bush. After having also heard Ed Sheeran’s Supermarket Flowers, I am so touched tonight by the power a string of words holds. Words transmit so much, and I would never dream of taking for granted hearing or reading the words of someone.
Although a love song, James Arthur’s Say You Won’t Let Go is resonating with me on a spiritual level. The opening lines remind me of battles I have faced and met God in the dark of night through prayer.
I met you in the dark
You lit me up
You made me feel as though I was enough
Song after song I play resonates. I suppose we can make that comparison between love songs and “worship” songs. And, it’s easy to get lost in a worship song that gets so intensely personal.
I have had the discussion of modern worship songs being too personal before. And I completely see the point of view. When I’m alone and in a moment, I will put on Oceans by Hillsong, or I Surrender or Pieces. But singing them out loud with other Christians is another level of confidence in your personal faith. And we are not all in that part of our journey. Or even then, we just may be born into a time where being public about everything, including your faith in Jesus, is the way to go, and the “best way to be”. Better a faith shared with others, learning from teachings and stories, than a fear of opening up and questioning Bible passages, and who did what, or did that even really happen? Yet, it still is all so personal. I guess you just have to find what works for you.
I received some incredible, uplifting news last night that has motivated me to keep working as hard as I am doing. It’s also reminded me of the importance of prayer. I don’t just pray in the morning, and when it seems like I’m talking to myself, I’m in fact having a conversation that feels like an open prayer.
I haven’t been to church in so long, because the weekends have been jam-packed and I miss it. I miss standing in worship with others, praising Him for all that we have. But I know deep down to my core that the door is never closed, it is always open. And when that time comes for me to cross the threshold again, I will. I am saved, and blessed, and favoured. I am worth far more than rubies, and He guides me.
May the words on my lips be from Him, and his grace guide and flow through my veins and out into the world.
Great are You Lord.
Love,
Anna
kulayrosas 