Tag: fear

When we want to forget – Part 3

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Have you ever felt like you in a place like this woman above? Wearing a blind-fold, she attempts to forget where she is and where she’s been. She feels trapped with no way to escape. She definitely in the middle of turmoil.

I have to admit something. I haven’t always understood why I experienced so much turmoil in my life. With it came a lot of fear from multiple sources. If only I knew what to do. If I had understood not only the what’s but, most importantly, the why’s, I believe I would have somehow caught a glimpse into what to do to change those circumstances for myself.

We cannot change the past, but WE CAN do something about its result. It is completely within our power to do something about what we experience today. Today is the day for change, not tomorrow. Whatever your reality, you can do something about it.

The trouble that most of us experience is that we aren’t exactly sure what to do. You can go and visit a psychologist, or even a psychiatrist, to start talking about your problems, but even they are limited when it comes to the results that you get. Ultimately, it is still up to you to do the work to see change take place. No matter what path you choose, you will still have to do the work. In this, education is paramount.

In Part 1 and Part 2 of When you want to forget, I talked about what most of us don’t – fear. I am not referring to surface experiences, or the fears that most of us have. I want to talk about the fears that are unique to you.

I am referring to the fears that we cannot shake, because they have found themselves embedded deep within our minds. These are the fears that I want to talk about. They are the fears that you keep to yourself, because you feel too ashamed or vulnerable to talk about them.

Referring back to the verse I used in Part 1 and Part 2 of this series, Roman’s 2:12 NIV says

Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will. – Romans 12:2 NIV

In previous posts, I talked about how what we feed our minds affects us not only emotionally and mentally, but physically.

Once I began reading the Bible, I started to learn what was good, productive food for my mind and what wasn’t. For example, I remember a time when I listened to all kinds of music, and most of that music did not have any uplifting tones. Looking back, it was quite depressing, really. Anything that wasn’t positive was simply not good for me to hear, especially since I had been dealing with depression for a good portion of my life.

Once I began to realize that the music I was listening to was having a negative affect on me, I through it all in the garbage and changed all of the presets of my car radio to a more uplifting, or positive, station. This was a Christian station. The change didn’t take long to have a positive affect on me. I actually enjoyed the songs that spoke of how I was loved and that I wasn’t the only one in this universe that was having a tough time. It filled my soul with such peace! And some of those songs were even fun to listen to and sing! Something I never expected.

Another example was my pursuit to deal with any negative and destructive voices from others; it was something I would have to learn to ignore. I do understand that there are two sides to this: something that we invite and then something that is thrust upon us. It was all something I would have to learn to work through with Jesus by my side.

The result of reading the Bible is if you read it with an open mind you will find so much wisdom within it. It is not a book of rules. If you are truly open to it, it will penetrate your heart and bring healing. There is so much that you can gain from reading it, because it reveals the truth about so many things. Reading the Bible isn’t just something you do, it is something you experience.

I believe completely within my heart that knowing the truth about something also reveals whether or not it is something good for me or not, and if there is something that the Bible reveals to me that is not good, I must do something about it.

I know that the Bible says that we should listen to God and follow his instruction, but there is a completely different side to this. If the truth is revealed to us, then power is in our hands. If we know the truth about something then we have the power to change how those things affect us. There is a lot of wisdom in the Bible that will, in turn, also make us wise, not only in our choices but also in our inter-action others.

So if the Bible is telling us the truth and bringing light to a situation then you must understand that the Bible also tells us what to do about it. This is not about judgement. This is about giving you the keys to change your circumstances for the better. We should never let life have what it wants, because it will take everything from you. You may think that avoiding God will give you freedom, but all it does is deceive you into thinking so.

This is one of the ways that Satan seeks to destroy your life – through lies and deception. If you think that I am wrong, then test God in this. I have had 18 years of God making himself known to me and revealing the deception of the enemy. Satan is a sneaky little guy. I call him little, because as children of the Most High God, we have the authority to tell him to leave us alone. We just need to make sure we don’t leave the door open for him to come back.

When there are things we want to forget, there has to be a way to change your experience. There has to be a way for us to not only accept something as a fact but also look it in the eye with NO FEAR. As most of us know, we cannot change the past, but we can change how much affect it has on our present and our future.

There is a way, actually. I have spoken to you about the power that God gives you to cause change. But it really depends on whether you are ready for that change and place it into in Gods hands. Being a child of God is not about just following God; it’s also about yielding your will over to him. Often times our methods of fixing problems can make things worse. When we let Jesus (God in the flesh) carry our burdens, we don’t have to. We can then have time to heal and set ourselves on the correct path – a path that sets fear aside so we can boldly move forward into the future without hindrance.

That feeling of condemnation does not come from God, but rather, it is Satan who seeks to accuse you. This is why you feel the way you do. It is your body and soul that is reacting to the enemy and his accusation. But when you submit it to Jesus, you have given him permission to defend you. But remember this also: Jesus has to know you first. He won’t know you unless you enter into a relationship with him.

This is when all of those worries and feeling of regret can begin to subside. For some, it may take a while. It did for me, because I not only needed to learn to ask for forgiveness but also learn to forgive others. It was all keeping me from experiencing freedom from all of the condemnation. When you set yourself right with God, Satan doesn’t have a leg to stand on in the heavenly courts.

Not only is Jesus preparing a place for us, as he told the disciples before ascending into heaven, he is also standing before the Father (God) as our advocate pleading our case for our innocence. If we are forgiven, then who can stand against us. We gain our power for change through Jesus.

So, I have a question for you. What do you want to forget? Start talking to God about it telling him how you feel. Ask him for forgiveness for ever allowing those things to hinder you. Read the Bible for inspiration and comfort being careful to be open to what God is seeking to reveal to you.

Most of all remember this: a realization of sin is not a time for you to feel condemnation. SIN is an ACCIDENTAL act of disobedience. INIQUITY is a WILLFUL, PREMEDITATED act of disobedience. Either way, it hurts you and those around you. But know this: if you ask for Jesus to forgive you and carry your burdens, you will no longer feel that condemnation if your intention was sincere. Remember that in this fleshly state of humanness, we often make mistakes more than once. Be open to approaching God again if your sin re-surfaces. You will always be forgiven and be set right with God when your heart is sincere. But remember, also, that have the need to seek God for solution out of the lifestyle or sin that entangles us.

Go forth and be blessed, my friend!

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When we want to forget – Part 2

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Those of you that haven’t read the first post, I ask that you do so. In that post, I talk about the things in our minds that we want to forget.

Have you ever had a dream and when you woke up you felt fearful or even depressed? This is what we often expect from bad dreams, or nightmares. We are told that dreams come from our subconscious. What does that mean? Nightmares can very often result, and range, from childhood experiences to the horror movie you watched last night, even experiences we think we have forgotten.

All and all, a vast amount of nightmares that we experience come from past experiences whether they experiences were intentional or not.

I think sometimes we fail to take care of our minds in the same way we are to care for our bodies. Whatever we feed it, whether mind or body, there is a result. If you feed your body junk food all of your life, you can be sure to experience difficulties with your health as you grow older. It is a fact of life that a vast majority of us know and understand.

Likewise, our minds need just as much care. While whole foods and supplements can bring us good health to our bodies when they are administered properly, they are also a preventative. Likewise, good wholesome information fed into our minds is a preventative affecting what our minds experience. And, honestly, what we experience in our minds will affect our bodies.

For example, most of us know that stress, often caused by worry, can and will eventually cause bodily side-effects such as high blood pressure as well as other health conditions including depression and suicide.

In light of this, let’s go back to the Bible verse that I shared in the previous post:

Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will. – Romans 12:2 NIV

Roman’s 12:2 tells us that we are to be transformed by renewing our minds. Our minds need to be renewed just as much as our bodies do.

If given the opportunity to get a massage, I don’t believe that any of us – but maybe some – would turn down that free massage. We love to be pampered, because it makes our bodies feel better; it helps us de-stress. Massage brings good health, but it is something we usually don’t do enough. It is often considered a luxury.

Roman’s 12:2 is telling us that our minds have a need to be renewed. Our minds need good food. Your mind and your body are connected, and what one experiences the other will also be affected.

This is what I was beginning to experience as I read my Bible. I was choosing to fill my mind with the things of God rather than what I was doing. This would lead to making better choices, and those choices led to results that led me into becoming optimistic about my life.

One of the best healthy habits we can have is the habit of being intentional. We just cannot let life dish out whatever it chooses. You have the ability to choose, so make good choices that will bring positive results, not only for your body, but also your mind. Choose to start asking God what “renewing your mind” looks like for you. We are all unique individuals, so we all will have a unique journey.

In the next post, I will talk more about renewing our minds and what we can do about those things we want to forget.

Please take a moment to check out my book below, When The One You Love Doesn’t Love You Anymore: A Journey of Self-Discovery.

Go forth and be blessed, my friend.

To be continued….

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