Common Cold of the Soul

 I have this frequent nagging at my soul.  I have dealt with issues my whole life.  I have dug up and seen healed wounds.  Yet, there still seems to be this thing that rises up inside of me that just floors me at times.  Thoughts and feelings rise up in side of me that make me thing there is something really wrong with me.  My reaction is to go back to the drawing board and see if I can discover "the last" flaw that is left in my emotional make-up.  

Well after many years of this  kind of reaction... I am beginning to think that perhaps this "flaw" is not going to go away.  Perhaps it is part of the DNA of our humanness.  Just like the common cold.  That even though... like the common cold.. we might feel like we are going to die.. we all know.. we will survive... AND THRIVE again. 

So.. this common malady that hits me on a regular basis, I am going to start viewing it as I would the common cold.  A nuisance but not a death sentence.  An inconvenience but not a disability.  I am going to change my paradigm (ie renew my mind) to look at it as nothing more than a common cold.  To recognize it for what it's worth, treat it and let it "run its course."

Over the years I have discovered treatments for the common cold.. notice I say treatments... NOT CURE.  I have a list that I refer to a times when I can't seem to get with th program.  I use a sun lamp, caffeine, naps, hikes, drives, coffee time with friends, chess games, journaling, Bible reading, prayer, praise and worship music.. you get my drift.  

My new approach to the common flu of the soul is to: 

1. NOT FREAK OUT!

2. Realize that it is COMMON!

3. It will pass

4. Just treat the symptoms until it does pass. 

I think that sometimes our reaction makes a simple thing so much worse.  Let's call it what it is.. a simple cold... and not let it shake us (me)

2/24/24

Have you ever had a friend that suffered from the flu? You have their best interest at heart, so you suggest different ways that you know will help them diminish their suffering. Then... only to be somewhat frustrated when you find out or you can tell that they are not interested and any remedies that would help their condition. Or..... maybe they listened to your advice, but for whatever reason failed to use that advice.  That is so me with the above advice. I usually do take my own advice after suffering for hours sometimes days wondering why I waited so. 🤷

So my goal is start taking my own advice quickly alleviate or at least diminish the amount of suffering that I endure during these episodes of soul flu. 

Best way To apologize

 We've all messed up! 

We can't change that! 

Beating yourself up does not help or make it better. 

One of the best ways to learn from your mistakes is to just simply put it behind... then do it differently. 👊♥️

Fear

 https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=pfbid02cSreTuXvN3yFvkrBaPqatH3rYzCwQSNfGSjzKGJcm3imxneQJrAZNSGvgJQJtBXil&id=1259222846&mibextid=2JQ9oc

Fear is the biggest enemy. 

It will weaken us even before we face the actually enemy! This is the pre-battle! Don't lose the pre-battle! Sit quietly and just observe that fear. Don't try to ignore it. Don't resist it! Don't reason with it! Just face it... sit with it. Watch it's power dissipate.

Chinks In Our Armor

 https://www.facebook.com/share/p/PuoNjqjgpb3U9U9r/?mibextid=2JQ9oc

If you were a knight and you were getting suited up for a battle... wouldn't you want to know of any chinks in your armor? 

A chink is an opening in your armor that could allow the enemy to quickly rend a deadly blow.  

Offense, anger, bitterness, jealousy, etc are chinks in our spiritual armor. 

 If there is something that is bothering you PLEASE!!! ....... take that as a warning from the Holy Spirit that there is an opening that the enemy can and WILL try to use to KILL, STEAL and DESTROY you!  

Don't ignore those areas. Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal the sources of those chinks.. and get them repaired!! 👊 

Be thankful for the offences, the slights, the disturbances to your peace. Again.. they are just revealing those openings that need repair!

Don't try to protect yourself by building a wall to hide behind. That will only isolate you. The enemy loves isolating a warrior. That makes his job of sure death even easier.                                           

No, the solution is to go to the Holy Spirit and have Him examine that chink (opening) in your armor and allow Him to do His repairs. ♥️👊

Are you able to identify those areas in your life?

Sometimes God will use others to reveal those areas to us if we are open. 

It takes humility to recognize those areas and confess, at least to God, that it is a weakness in our character (armor) and that we need repair (healed or strengthened).

After writing this.. I decided to make a list of KNOWN chinks in my armor... so that me and the Holy Spirit can purposely work on them. Wow! It can be discouraging at times. It seems that I have many! Some huge ones that the Spirit and I have been working on a long time. I sensed the Spirit say to me, "Son, just keep working with me. I have started the work enough in advance that when it comes to a particular battle... you will be ready."                

Do your work in me, Father. I trust that You know what You are doing.. and what it will take to get me where You want me. 

In the meantime... thank You for Your grace and mercy! ♥️

#Offence

#GlimpseOfSomething

#PonderThis 

Dark Night of the Soul #256

 https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=pfbid0W7LKAWmus2DgJigwLX4pK4hGG229AEDzLdQq62wb2UgmdFkZvX7FzJ3C6k1azicfl&id=1259222846&mibextid=Nif5oz

Fb post:

Last night I had dinner with a buddy and these exact words came out of my mouth.. "There are so many times when I feel like my life is perfect."  

But here it is 3am in the morning.. and I feel like I am going through a "dark night of the soul" moment.  

This life is a mystery sometimes.  I am glad I know the One who knows all.... even if He won't answer ALL my questions.... He always sees me through and that will have to do.

Why do I post these thoughts? I don't know. Maybe a desire to be known and understood.... I've been through this enough to know that it will pass... even though it feels like it won't.  There's something so powerful about this pain.... that I can't help to think it will serve some purpose in my life. Ah..... yes..... brokenness..... there it is.... a common theme in my life.  That's what keeps me thankful.  This is what keeps my heart tender towards God.... and others.. the fog is clearing. Grateful. I feel for those who have it all together, honestly. God resists the proud.... but to me.... He gives grace. 🙏

#BeautyInBrokenness

EyeOfTheNeedle

 

Rough draft

The secret passage. To find the sweet spot in life. Hard. Humbling. Eye of the needle  grappling with hard questions  song peanut

#EyeOfTheNeedle

The Will

There is something deep down in us that resists yielding to another.  What is that? It is so ellusive.. yet we know it is there.   What is that minion that keeps us from yieldng to the most compelling force in the universe?   

It is our will. 

God has gifted us with the strongest tool in existence.  The human will.  It is what makes us all individuals.  Even the weakest will is able to resist the Almighty and choose its own course.  

The will is an amazing thing.  This entity that is almost undetectable at times, always lurks just under the surface waiting  to raise it's ugly head to come to our defence.  Anything that threatens our sovereign existence will be met with its swift and knee-jerk defiance.

This God given gift that determines our individuality when exercised properly is also the very thing that can cause our very ruin... unless we submit it to the One Who created it. 

When we begin to realize that He means us only good and not harm, can we then begin to submit our will to Him. In doing this, life starts  unfold  a design and purpose that can only be found in Him.  A path that starts maneuvering through life's obstacles.... when looking back...  appear to be the exact confines that we needed.

We begin to relax in this thing called life because we begin to see we can trust our loving Father. We allow ourselves to acknowledge (submit) to Him in all our ways and amazingly watch as He begins (He's been doing it all along) to direct our steps.