2 Corinthians 3:18 says, “But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory…” We become as the One we behold. 2 Peter 1:4 says that we become partakers of His nature.

Here are some phrases from a new song. I lift my unveiled face to gaze into Your face. Face to face I behold You as You behold me…With joy I lift my heart in song. A song that flows through me like a river. A song that cascades and rushes to be expressed. In pure worship knowing Your joy as You behold me.

James 1:22 charges us to be doers of the word and not just hearers. He likened it to a man who looks into a mirror and promptly forgets “…what kind of man he was.” Doers fix their eyes on truth and live it out in their lives.

Hebrews 12:2 says, “Looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.”

Jesus endured because His eyes were fixed on His inheritance ~ us. His words, “It is finished” echo in the hearts of those who have received His gift of eternal life. Hebrews 7:25 says, “Therefore He is able to save to the uttermost those who come to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them.” He is right now praying for us!

Jesus is our example of endurance. Hebrews 10:36 is our reminder. It says, “For you have need of endurance, so that after you have done the will of God you may receive the promise.”

Emotional ruts are old thought patterns that cause us to fall into futile activity. We can liken it to a hamster in a wheel. Oh it is really active, but it is going nowhere other than in endless circles.

We are called to worship our Creator. Isaiah 43:7 says, “Everyone who is called by My name, whom I have created for My glory; I have formed him, yes, I have made him.” Jeremiah 1:5 says that He knew us before He formed us in the womb.

Psalm 46:1 says that the Lord is ever present in our times of trouble. His Presence is present. Our faith is now faith. Note that the Lord’s help in our past, will not be duplicated in the present. Every circumstance is unique. He desires to reveal Himself to us according to our present need. Let’s not miss what the Lord is doing in our present.

I love 2 Corinthians 5:17. It says, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.” Why do we hang out with thoughts from our past that can never be changed? It is not only futile, but it causes our body to stress.

Let me give you Strong’s definition of futile: fruitless, empty, hollow, unreal, unproductive, lacking substance, ineffectual, void of results, worthless. Paul encouraged Timothy to, “…pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, gentleness.”

To pursue righteousness means to conform our thoughts, purpose, and actions to God’s will and ways. When our mind wanders back to dwell in our past, we bring that thought captive. How? Simply by training our next thought to be a righteous one. What does Scripture say is God’s will? 1 Thessalonians 5:18 is to give thanks.

According to Proverbs 23:7, we are the sum of our thoughts. It says, “For as he thinks in his heart, so is he…” My mentee wrote that even at work she had times where her eyes teared up from sadness.. She wrote, “I just feel like I failed myself…” She referred to previous mistakes that she couldn’t take back.

Our thoughts dictate to our brain what it needs to instruct our body to do. When we dwell on past mistakes, our brain interprets that as stress. What happens in our bodies when we are stressed? Fight or flight kicks in as though there is danger ~ even when there is none.

Digestion slows or stops because it isn’t needed. Heart rate and breathing increase, as well as adrenaline pumps into our muscles to prepare us to fight or flee. All thoughts precede actions. It is imperative that we consider how our thoughts might be affecting our health.

Meditation is an intentional form of focusing on one subject. It takes place in our conscious mind, and it involves the present. Jumping thoughts have no focal point other than trying to figure something out. It can be either something future or an event that took place. It is a futile activity because we are in control of nothing in our future or our past.

Meditating on Scripture involves our spirit man ~ shutting out our flesh. According to 1 Corinthians 2:14, meditating is spiritually discerned. Meditating causes us to be like a tree whose roots spread out near a water source, bearing fruit in season. No withering leaves. Meditating is a healing modality or remedy for spiritual dryness.

Meditation is an act of worship. Psalm 145:5 says, “I will meditate on the glorious splendor of Your majesty, and on Your wondrous works.” Lost in communion with the Lord ~ blocking out all distractions and concerns. It is singular focus on the Lover of our soul.

In Psalm 104:34 the psalmist wrote a prayer with an intention. It says, “May my meditation be sweet to Him; I will be glad in the Lord.” What we dwell on with our thoughts is a form of meditation. We bring the thought in and out of our conscious mind, sort of like oil pulling.

Abraham and Isaac were both contemplators. Romans 4:20. Genesis 24:63. 1 Chronicles 28:9 Amplified says, “…For the Lord searches all hearts and minds and understands all the wanderings of the thoughts…” It is a delight to let our minds wander in and out of phrases of truth as we meditate in His word ~ rich insights seed into our hearts.

In Proverbs 8:22-31 wisdom was speaking. Verse 30 says, “Then I was beside Him as a master craftsman; and I was daily His delight, rejoicing always before Him.” Does that describe your delight in the Lord?

Jeremiah 17:5 says, “Thus says the Lord: Cursed is the man who trusts in man and makes flesh his strength.” Psalm 1:1-2 says, “Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stands in the path of sinners, nor sits in the seat of the scornful: but…” 

God often adds a but to highlight a contrast. The verse goes on to say, “…his delight is in the law of the Lord, and in His law he meditates day and night.” Capture how meditating and delight connect.

I have been stuck in Psalm 119:23-24 for several days as I continued to think about delight in connection to meditating in God’s word. It says, “…Your servant meditates on Your statutes. Your testimonies also are my delight and my counselors.” As we meditate in God’s word, delight begins to stir within our heart. 

News Flash! I recently heard this: when our mind jumps back and forth, it causes our gut to churn ~ destroying good bacteria.

God’s way is to bring every thought captive ~ we can do that instantly by expressing thankfulness to Him when our thoughts start to careen out of control. Negative dialogue is a destructive habit.

“What if…” “I should have…” These types of thought patterns exercise our flesh. Trying to figure something out is futile ~ there is no substance.

Our flesh is a quagmire. Here is a definition of a quagmire in case you are wondering. A soft boggy area of land that gives way underfoot. It reminds me of the man who built his house upon the sand ~ no stability for the storms of life. 

In Luke 6:49 Jesus said, “But he who heard and did nothing…” We can read God’s word daily, yet if we don’t adhere to it by applying it, then we are building on sand. 

Nothing is in vain or a waste. The Lord will redeem everything. His promise in Romans 8:28 is that He will work it all for our good. Thoughts that bring doubt, fears, unbelief are lies. I have a mentee whose faith was shaken because she embraced thoughts causing stark fear ~ paralyzed in her tracks.

2 Timothy 1:7 says that fear is a spirit. Fear is a tormentor, designed to waylay us in our progressive sanctification journey. Renounce the fear and affirm the rest of the verse. It says, “…but of power and of love and of a sound mind.” The Greek definitions for a sound mind are: good judgment, disciplined thought patterns, and the ability to understand and make right decisions.

Our trials are essential in our spiritual growth. The Lord uses them to strengthen our faith. When the fiery dart lies come, we must hold up our door shield of faith to quench them ~ remaining steadfast and immovable.