It’s been a busy month. It is so easy to allow idols into my heart when the schedule is crazy. Yesterday I was scrolling Facebook and so many of the fake news conversations kept showing up on my news feed. God gently got my attention with His still, small voice and I was filled with conviction. He asked me what I was filling my mind with. He reminded me (so kindly) that I need to hear the truth, His truth! So now when I am tempted to scroll Facebook I open my Bible app and listen to scripture instead. It is so refreshing.
Scrolling Facebook is such a mindless activity; however, it so quickly becomes detrimental to my thought life, mental health and my attitude! I don’t tend to notice it right away, it happens slowly and sneakily. I am so thankful that God nudged me away from this mindless activity and back to His word and His heart.
The next day I heard something on the radio that reiterated what God had been showing me. It was something along the lines of “if your thoughts are not taken captive, they will seep down into your heart”. If I allow fear and anxious thoughts to rule my mind my heart condition will become that way! He has given us the power (through the Holy Spirit) to take our thoughts captive. If I do not do so and I do not make my thoughts obedient to Christ, my heart and mind will wander away from Him and toward other things. If I do not actively and intentionally take my thoughts captive the result is not good.
“We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.”
- 2 Corinthians 10:5 (NIV)
If I do not take my thoughts captive I tend to grow discontent, ungrateful and distracted from what matters the most. I begin looking to the wrong things for comfort and contentment which only lead to temporary happiness. These harmless longings at the start become idols in my heart, which is sin. Long term this can lead to addiction and harmful behavior. This is not what my heart truly craves and needs. Thanks be to God that Jesus is the answer for the emptiness I feel. If I run to Him I will be satisfied, forever. Amen.
“For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
- Romans 6:23
And because I have this gift of salvation, I will praise His name. Glory be to God.
“Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth!
Serve the Lord with gladness!
Come into his presence with singing!
Know that the Lord, he is God!
It is he who made us, and we are his;
we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.
Enter his gates with thanksgiving,
and his courts with praise!
Give thanks to him; bless his name!
For the Lord is good;
his steadfast love endures forever,
and his faithfulness to all generations.”
- Psalm 100:1-5
In Him,
Katie Karlson