“When you stand praying, if you hold
anything against anyone, forgive him, so that your Father in heaven may forgive
you your sins.” (Mark 11:25 NLT)
One of my teachers had each one of us
bring a clear plastic bag and a sack of potatoes to class. For every person
we'd refuse to forgive in our life, we were told to choose a potato, write on
it the name and date, and put it in the plastic bag. Some of our bags, as you
can imagine, were quite heavy.
We were then told to carry this bag with
us everywhere for one week, putting it beside our bed at night, on the car seat
when riding, next to our desk at school.
The hassle of lugging this around with
us made it clear what a weight we were carrying spiritually, and how we had to
pay attention to it all the time so we wouldn't forget, and keep leaving it in
embarrassing places.
Naturally, the condition of the potatoes
deteriorated to a nasty slime. This was a great metaphor for the price we pay
for keeping our pain and heavy negativity!
Too often we think of forgiveness as a
gift to the other person, and while that's true, it clearly is also a gift for
ourselves!
-- Unknown (from a subscriber in Wisconsin)
#4658
Showing posts with label negative. Show all posts
Showing posts with label negative. Show all posts
Friday, August 23, 2019
Tuesday, August 16, 2016
SETTING YOUR MIND
John
Milton wrote in his epic poem Paradise
Lost, “The mind is its own place, and in itself can make a heaven of
hell, a hell of heaven.”
Setting your mind is like setting a thermostat. It is creating a target for the climate. Once you set a thermostat, the heating and air-conditioning will have to adjust in relation to the weather. It is a constant process, but the goal is for the system to create a life-giving climate. So too it is with our minds. Many people try to tell themselves to stop thinking negative thoughts -- which immediately brings to mind the very thoughts they are supposed to stop thinking.
“Set your mind on things above, not on earthly things.” (Colossians 3:2)
“Those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires.” (Romans 8:5)
-- John Ortberg in The Me I Want To Be
Setting your mind is like setting a thermostat. It is creating a target for the climate. Once you set a thermostat, the heating and air-conditioning will have to adjust in relation to the weather. It is a constant process, but the goal is for the system to create a life-giving climate. So too it is with our minds. Many people try to tell themselves to stop thinking negative thoughts -- which immediately brings to mind the very thoughts they are supposed to stop thinking.
“Set your mind on things above, not on earthly things.” (Colossians 3:2)
“Those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires.” (Romans 8:5)
-- John Ortberg in The Me I Want To Be
#3926
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