Sometimes the Word of God I read in the morning goes right out the window by noon. The simplest snafu can undo my day. I get an irritating email, and my fallen nature gets the best of me. My computer freezes for an hour. My poor husband, bless his heart, says the wrong thing. Memory loss hits me. God’s blessings? What are those?
My own ranting thoughts take over my mind and push God’s Word out.
Can I just say that yesterday when I stepped into 3 inches of gooey mud, I was not praising and thanking God?
I had jumped into my car to battle 5 o’clock traffic on the way to the store. After 5 minutes of parallel parking into a tight space, I found the store packed with other happy people who’d also come in from rush hour traffic. The item I wanted was on the top shelf. After trying to climb up there, I found a clerk with a ladder instead.
I grabbed my other items and headed to the long lines at the checkout. When my turn came, the register didn’t accept my foreign credit card. I tried telling the lady that this store had taken my foreign card for the past five years, but that didn’t work. I had no cash. So I left my bag on that counter, walked out of the store, and accidently stepped into the mud.
God’s blessings? What are those? God is my helper? Yeah, whatever.
I really need God’s Word to take over my mind and push my ranting thoughts out.
Some would call that brain washing. Yes, ma’am. I’ll take it. Believe me, I need something to wash all the whining and complaining out of this brain. I need God to wash away fears, messages of rejection, and all the lies the enemy shoots my way. That’s why I love this verse:
Before God led the Israelites into the Promised Land, He wanted them to stop and remember who He was, how He’d delivered them from slavery, and how He wanted them to live. He gave Moses the book of Deuteronomy to remind them. God wanted His children to remember His words.
I want to remember His Words too. That’s why I write down snippets of scripture.
The best way for me to fix His words in my heart and mind is to write them down. Most mornings I record one or two verses that speak to me in my quiet time. Last week, I wrote about how to get a simple start on spiritual journaling. For me, copying down one Bible verse is the simplest and most powerful journaling tool. Copying might sound mindless, but it’s not. It helps me do two things:
To Process
Writing it out helps me process the scripture I’m reading. I can think for a few minutes about how to live it out. God’s words become mine when I write them down. I own the message.
To Remember
Writing it down gets the Word a little bit deeper into my heart. I’d love to say I always have my verse in mind the rest of the day, but I don’t. The thing is, sometimes I do remember it. Even when I don’t, that word is waiting for me to read again when I get back to my journal later. Each time I read it, it’s etched a little more deeply into my mind, increasing the chance that I’ll be able to access it when I need it. Over time, it makes a difference.
I don’t want to let little snafus undo my day. That’s why I want to keep God’s Word in mind. Maybe the next time I step into 3 inch mud, I’ll have something better to think about.
Now it’s your turn: How do you manage to keep whining in check on your step-in-the-mud days?
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Betsy,
I suppose on “step in the mud” kind of days, I try to be forgiving of myself if I’m not all smiles, sunshine, and praise the Lord. I do, however, try to find one thing I am thankful for in my day and focus on that. Sometimes it takes great effort to shove my mind off the negative. It’s hard, though, to be thanking God and whining at the same time. So, I thank Him for the good thing(s) and ask Him to fill in the cracks where I came up short that day. Great reminders…
Blessings,
Bev
Yes, I like that idea of being patient with ourselves too, Bev. Sometimes we beat ourselves up, and it really doesn’t help, does it?
Betsy, this is terrific! Thank you for your transparency; the journey is so much better with a sister. I love your journaling strategy. In my quiet time, sometimes God won’t let me move past one verse, other times it’s an entire chapter. The more we feed ourselves His Word, the stronger and more resilient we are. Blessings for a fabulous day!
Yes, Alice. The same thing happens to me. Sometimes I just park on a few verses. I’ve been reading the book of John and getting so much out of it. I hope you have a fabulous day yourself.
Scripture is like a re-set button isn’t it? And I’m with you — whether it’s brain-washing or meditating on truth or positive reinforcement . . .call it anything you want, but sometimes my brain needs washing too. I really appreciate this series, Betsy.
Thanks Michele. I need to have m y brain “washed” often!
Betsy, you are one of the most authentic, kind-hearted people I know. I love this post because it’s simply “so real”. When those “mud puddles” happen, it’s easy to get flustered. Been there! Done that! It’s a slow learn, but I’m getting there. True Help waits above. Great encouragement today. #raralinkup
Oh yes, it’s a “slow learn,” isn’t it? A slow, but SURE learn, right sister? 🙂 Love you, Kristi.
Ack, Betsy! I’m sorry about that bad day you had. It sounds sort of weird, but when the dominoes start falling and I end up in the mud, it helps to try to find the humor in the situation. Or, if I’m especially irritated on the way somewhere, I try to make myself smile. It’s hard to stay super annoyed when you are smiling, even if it is a forced one. 🙂 Seriously, though, I’ve pulled out my little blue box of verses this week and am using them in my prayer times. Seems to be an appropriate season for that, and it is bringing peace and hope back to my heart. Thanks for directing us to Deut. 11:18a … the best kind of brain washing!
Ha! Yes, the best kind of brain washing! I love that, Lois. And you’re so right about smiling. I do that a lot too. It’s hard to feel super sad/mad/depressed/irritated when you’re SMILING. 🙂
Betsy,
Oh, those mud puddles and those CC problems at the store, I get it. Thank you for your honesty and for pointing us back to God’s Word. Love your heart, friend 🙂
Yes, those mud puddles always come up, don’t they? His grace goes so much further!
What a good word, Betsy!
Oh, how much I need God’s Word to take over my thoughts!
Sure do appreciate the way you point others toward Christ!
Oh thanks so much, Melanie. I appreciate you too. Let’s press in together for more of Him in our thoughts!
Wow, good stuff girl 💗
Love this, Betsy. I do something similar when I have those moments when several irritations (or even one!) come in a row. God uses those moments for my sanctification, and He reminds me of that. It’s at that moment I make a choice to walk in His ways. And if I have already started sinning (let’s be real, right😉), I confess to Him, then choose to walk in His ways from that moment. Does that make sense? I can’t seem to wake my brain up this morning.
Oh yes, he does use those moments for our sanctification, doesn’t He? Good strategy you’re outlining here, sister!
Appreciate your honesty in sharing this beautiful post, Betsy! It’s so great to walk this journey with like-minded sisters who are going through similar things. Praying we can all start being consumed more and more with our Father’s Word! That it would penetrate our hearts, minds and souls, and impact everything we do. <3 HUGS!
Amen, Lauren! More of Him in our hearts and minds! And in our actions and words too!
Dear Betsy, your post title is the most powerful invitation. Right away I said inside, yes yes yes! This is what we long for instead of our own tired mantras, our half empty cups.
Beautiful …
Fix these words in your heart. Yep. I need that too! All. The. Time.
Oh yes. Me too.
I find I step in the mud a whole lot more when I haven’t had time to rest, refresh, and be still before God. Without that, my temper is right on edge ready to spill over in those trigger moments. I’m grateful that God is always that safe place we can come to regroup and remember who we really are vs. who our emotions make us.
This is so true, Tiffany. Thanks for your insight. Time to rest, refresh, and be still before God are preventive measures, aren’t they? Doing that today. I cancelled an appointment. 🙂
I love the intentionality of this because it is very very much needed. I am currently focusing on Isaiah 26:3-4. I made it as a meme from the bible app and then put it on my lock screen on my iPad. That has been helping me a lot lately. Thanks for these encouraging words
I LOVE those words, Kristina. They are a go-to scripture of mine too. I’ve been hanging on to them too the last days. <3
Betsy, it’s like running into a friend while shopping to be your neighbor again today. It’s a reminder that God’s Word and mercy for us is fresh each morning. Thank you for sharing His Word through yours!
Oh thanks so much, Alice. You’re making me smile today, friend.
Oh this. Yes–I know exactly what you mean. This is a fabulous post, Betsy. I love the bits of humor peeping through. So much personality and some helpful tips–a winning combination. I often do the one verse thing as well. I’ll take a whole page and write big. Sometimes I look up a few words and add in the definitions.
Lately I do that “One Verse Big” thing too. I love verse mapping. Thanks for your encouragement, Ginger. I LOVE the look and vision of your new blog space, by the way.
Beautiful post, my friend. I appreciate your transparency and your encouragement through your every day situations of life. Thank you for the simple reminder of journaling God’s Word. Doing that tonight! Much love to you!
Love to you too, Julie! So good to see you here. May the Lord bless you in your day to day.
When I have days like that I wonder what God is trying to teach me. Often it’s that I need to slow down. I have too many distractions taking me away from His word. Writing down snippets of scripture is a great idea.
Oh yes! It is so true that often we just need to slow down. 🙂
I could totally picture myself in that exact situation, Betsy. I smiled as I read your words:) Sometimes for me, after those negative thoughts take over, conviction sets in. My self-talk sounds something like this…”You should be a better witness than that. You know better than to fall into that negative trap.” I LOVE your solution here. Keep God’s Word in my heart. That will give me something much better to think about!
Oh yes, Kristine. Let me tell you, Honey, most days I NEED something better to think about. Desperately. 🙂
Betsy I love how real you are. Of course after not getting your groceries and stepping in mud you weren’t singing a psalm of praise. Perhaps you could have thought about Noah stepping off the ark.
I love your posts
Oh Cathy, thank you. That means so much to me.
Love this post and the Deuteronomy verse, Betsy. I’m preparing a talk for this weekend on praying positively – giving over those pesky negative thoughts to God and focusing on the truths of His Word instead, to train our minds to be more positive. I think I’ll include your journaling idea, too. I’ll credit you, of course.
Thank you, Rachel. Blessings on your talk this weekend. Lifting you up right now and asking God to use you!