Okay friend, today’s read is going to flow a little bit differently. Today we are going to take a nose dive into God’s word and do some exploring. I recommend that you grab your favorite drink, find yourself somewhere cozy to sit, and snuggle in as we self reflect, challenge ourselves and more…☺️
So Friend, I don’t know if you’ve ever been on a healing journey before, but as I’ve been on my journey of inner healing and growth, different scriptures have come up and have simply blown my mind like never before. Don’t you love how God’s word can do that, It can be so fitting for different seasons, phases, and ages of your life. 🙌🙌
Well, one of my favorite scripture versus in this season comes from King Solomon. Turn with me friends to (Proverbs 4:20-23).
I will be referencing The Passion Translation (TPT) which to me, takes this verse a little deeper and it reads:
“Listen carefully, my dear child, to everything that I teach you, and pay attention to all that I have to say. Fill your thoughts with my words until they penetrate deep into your spirit. Then, as you unwrap my words, they will impart true life and radiant health into the very core of your being. So above all, guard the affections of your heart, for they affect all that you are. Pay attention to the welfare of your innermost being, for from there flows the wellspring (seasons) of life.”
😳🤯Like did you catch that the way I caught it???
So what I’m catching is that my feelings & thoughts (my innermost being) reflect who I am because how I think and what I feel reflects what I do … and what I do reflects my reputation… my reputation reflects my character.. and my character reflects who I am… Hmmm, let’s think about it.
There are so many different translations right at our finger tips and friend I can honestly say that reading different interpretations brings about a different kind of revelation, greater understanding, and even a deeper sense of faith awareness.
The King James Version (KJV) reads “keep your heart with all diligence, from out it if spring the issues of life.”
The New Living Translation says it like this “guard your heart above all else for it determines the course of your life”
The Message Translation sums it up like this “keep vigilant watch over your heart; that’s where life starts.”
The Amplified Translation puts it yet a different way “watch over your heart with all diligence from it flows the springs of life”
The Good News Translation adds a bit of a twist “Be careful how you think; your life is shaped by your thoughts”
In sum friend, your thoughts are the source of what you believe and what you feed and take in mentally will grow. But remember that what grows must first be planted, rooted, grounded in something right?
Your heart is the gatekeeper of the mind… but remember your thoughts come and go but only the ones you believe in your heart will stay.
So if you believe that you deserve all the bad luck, misfortune, trauma etc. than that is what is being echoed and affirmed over and over again in your inner thought so that my friend is what plants itself in your heart.
HOWEVER, if you believe that God desires to bless you, that he loves you unconditionally, that he will NEVER Leave you nor forsake, that nothing you can do will ever separate you from his love, that God’s faithfulness to us never ceases, that his mercy towards us are made new and afresh each and every morning than any thought that comes in your mind that speak to this will not only stay and plant itself, but it will also grow! 🌱🌿🌴
Hmm, Think on it for a moment. 💭
What feeling is connected to God’s word when you read it and/or when you hear it? What do you feel when you affirm the Word of God/scripture over yourself, your loved ones, your circumstance?
So Friend, What do you think would happen if we chose to be intentional, consistent, and focused on applying Apostle Paul’s words of encouragement in (Philippians 4:8) and FIX OUR THOUGHTS on what is true, honorable, right, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent and worthy of praise? If our thoughts were grounded and rooted in this place?
Food for thought Friend🗯️🧐
Is your heart full of beautiful plants… each one handpicked by you and branded in the love of God?
or
Is your heart riddled with plants, thorns, and bushes that you don’t recognize? Rooted in thoughts that don’t belong to you? The thoughts of others? The thoughts of the world? If so friend, I encourage you to Cast down those imaginations and thoughts that do not align with the knowledge of God and hold each and every thought captive to the obedience and authority of Christ (2 Corinthians 5:10).
In other words friend, just give them to Christ because HE can handle them…it’s too easy💪😊🙌
I leave you with this friend…take a honest, non judgmental inward look and ask yourself:🤔 📝
What are you planting?
What may already be been planted?
What do your actions reflect?
What do your inner thoughts sound like?
What flows from you?
What springs forth or manifests in your circumstances? Peace and confidence or worry and fear?
What are you taking in mentally, emotionally, spiritually?
What flows from you when you interact with others?
What do your inner thoughts say?
What does your inner you affirm about you?
❤️❤️❤️And always remember 1 Peter 5:7 (TPT) “ pour out all your worries and stress upon HIM and leave them there for HE always tenderly cares for you.”