I may be a little off base in my writing today or stretching to make a point but I am going to go with the first thing the Lord touched my heart with. I just wrote a friend who is struggling these words, "The Holy Spirit is dead on. I just follow Him. He always leads me to the right place." So here I go, following the Holy Spirit.
I don't know exactly how much of what Job is saying is factual and how much is imagined. He talks very descriptively about what being mocked, taunted, despised and even spit upon. Sometimes, we can get ourselves so "worked up" (And we can all agree after reading ALL nine speeches-that Job is "worked up") that we don't see things as they really are. Especially us girls. (I can't speak for the men because I am not one.) We almost get to a state of paranoia.
Hear my heart on this, I am not trying to belittle mental illness. I personally know people that have legitimate psychological disorders and my heart aches for them and others with such conditions. I am going to speak of my own circumstances in today's post.
I looked up the meaning of paranoia on one of my newest favorite sites, dictionary.com. I found the second meaning of the word to describe exactly what I am talking about:
I looked up the meaning of paranoia on one of my newest favorite sites, dictionary.com. I found the second meaning of the word to describe exactly what I am talking about:
baseless or excessive suspicion of the motives of others
I am going to tell on myself right now, this was me for much of my life. I did not start living free until I accepted the truth of the Truth. I looked behind the eyes of those doing something for me or to me and tried to figure what they really wanted. I would offer totally unfounded suspicion for their motives. I did not think much of myself so therefore "why would anyone think much of me." When things went wrong, it was because of "her" or "them." I always wanted to someone to be with me when I went to parties or other places. My thinking was, "no one will stare at me if someone else is with me." As Joyce Meyer says in her book, Battlefield of the Mind, something was wrong with my thinking.
Whether or not these thing were actually happening to Job or he just thought they were happening, he was in some major bondage. We are not made to live in the bondage of wrong thinking. Our lives were meant to be lived in freedom. Paul tells us, "It was for freedom that Christ has set us free." (Gal. 5:1 NASB) In Luke 4:18-19,Jesus repeats Isaiah prophecy from chapter 61:
"The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor."
I had to accept freedom before I could live in freedom and praise God...I AM FREE. If we are in Christ, our purpose is freedom. Let's live like it!! Let's take off the yoke of negative thinking and baseless suspicion of the motives of others to take every thought captive making those negative thoughts and suspicion of the motives of others obedient unto what Christ says. And what does Christ say:
We are fearfully and wonderfully made.
We are made in the image of God.
We are daughters and sons of the Most High King.
We are forgiven and free.
We can confess our sin and know they are not counted against us.
We are loved with an everlasting love.
And the list goes on....
Like I said, let's live like it.
10 Comments:
So true Wendy! I tend to always be looking at others motives and being disappointed. Are my expectations too high? I believe it is "stinkin thinkin." I must turn inward and truly seek God's face to be able to see the best in everyone, including myself!
I loved your post today! I cannot tell you how easy it has been for me to slip into negative, paranoid thinking over the past several years. And there have been times when I have convinced myself that I was indeed seeking God ... but oh, how I was wrong!
Wendy,
Great post. The waiting and not knowing seems to really eat at our human side and I agree we work ourselves into a tizzy. :) I had not thought of a supicious mind being paranoid but I really see what you are saying. Joyce Meyers is a very good pastor, teacher and author. Thanks.
Lynn - OR
It is hard to know, but like you pointed out the other day, Job's thoughts certainly centered around himself - all the 'me','my' 'I', 'myself'. Often we do get too caught up in ourselves and our circumstances. We become our own god, as our focus remains fixed on us.
The last verse in our reading today thrilled me, "Job's words are ended". FINALLY! I wonder how often God is waiting for my narrative to say the same. "Joy's words are ended".
After 6 chapters of Job speaking, silence. Nothing of significance is accomplished until this point. Now we will hear God's heart in the matter.
Maybe today I need to just be still and know that He is God.
Listening,
Joy
Goodmorning Wendy,
Wow last week I was not able to leave any post grandbabies,father in law, My husband who come home friday to tell me they have eliminated his job position due to economics. I said to him we will thank God forgiving you a knew job! I told him we are reading Job.So we are in need of Prayer for our Spirits to stay strong in Jesus name. We have and believe. Tina Robinson
I often feel like my mind is the biggest battlefield I face! I keep telling myself most aren't maliciously trying to get me, they are probably focused on themselves as much as I am on me!! I am constantly trying to put myself in someone else's shoes
Have great day, Wendy!
Thank you for your post Wendy,
Many of us get caught up in cyclical arguments in our mind. The book you referenced is very good at breaking those habits; those bonds.
I don't know how long Job was being tested. Do any of you? But I imagine that it seemed never-ending. Despair knocks at your door when you are waiting for God and it takes radical faith to resist the effects of despair and negative thinking.
I went back to look at how the book of Job started. Satan told God that Job would curse Him to His face in the midst of trials. While Job did not curse God, he did rail at Him. And he questioned God's judgment and decisions. God is strong enough to take it when we rant, rail and question Him. In His infinite love He will redeem us. In His strength He will lead us to His holy dwelling. And we will have peace.
I like Joy's post on Job's words ending. I agree that today maybe I too need to be still and know that He is God.
- Karen, CA
Wendy,
I agree the mind is a powerful place. It is also a place that Satan can attack me the easiest. Telling me that I don't measure up, so why try, along with other things that I know simply are not true.
For me it is a daily choice to stay out of my head and into the word. The Lord is the center of it all, not me. I think Job did tend to get a bit self centered. I am a child of God, just as good as everyone else, this is the truth.
I am glad that I stopped by today. Because it was starting to be one of those days when I wasn't feeling good enough. Not anymore, so thanks for the reminder.
Blessings,
Diane
Wendy -- thanks for this post today. You are "spot on"!
Powerful post girl!! Love your insights. Boy can I relate to this struggle - especially when I am hormonal or dealing with some unknown or uncertain facts. The enemy will start whispering lies and I don't have actual facts to combat them with - however I do have TRUTH - and I realize I need to take those thoughts captive to TRUTH and make sure it's bowed down in submission to God's thoughts, and not my own. I was just talking with Andrew about this last night when he had some worries.
We are loving your posts as a family. I know you love doing it but I also know it's a big investment of your time. I so appreciate your commitment to HIM and to each of us. I am praying for you, your family and each woman/man reading with us!!
Miss you!
Renee
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