Thoughts from a Simple Minded Girl
I remember during one of my first years of teaching, one of my middle school students made a statement that my first thought was, "That was the most absurd statement ever and I hope he was kidding."
During a class discussion the student said, "Well everything you read on the Internet is true." I stopped and looked and said, "You're joking, right?!" The student replied," No, isn't it?" Needless to say, I stopped my current lesson and explained all the reasons why you can't believe everything you see/read/hear on the Internet.
These days I'm reminded of that same lesson I tried to teach this young student several years ago. Just because it is on the Internet doesn't make it true, and just because someone says it doesn't make it true. Maybe it is because so many aspects of our lives have been changed in what seems like an instant, and we are desperately looking for truth and understanding, when all we have to do is look at one book that will make it crystal clear. That is the only place real Truth is found.
I've wondered often, what are we supposed to be learning right now that we are missing because our eyes are focused on everything that they shouldn't be? What if all this was meant to refocus our eyes on what we truly need, not just what we want? What if all this was supposed to weed out the bad stuff, not just create more?
I'm not saying I love what is happening right now, I would be silly to say I love it. What I am saying is that instead of using this time to fuel our fires against something, someone, some type of party, use it to fuel goodness for all. Not division. At the beginning, I thought this was going to be a turning point for us all, a time to stand together, a time for unity if you will. But as the weeks and month go by, I see more and more division created. The enemy's plan, no doubt.
I'm not ashamed to say I'm simple minded and perhaps often times naive or too much of an optimist when it comes to a whole slew of topics, but that is the way I prefer to live my life. I don't want to live everyday wondering who is out to get me, wondering who is telling the truth, and wondering whose side I should be on. I want to let God take care of that.
Being a Christian doesn't mean you have to be a pushover and always do what you're told, but it does mean you are to exhibit certain character traits while expressing ourselves. Things like love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, and faithfulness. Sometimes that is a fine line to walk when trying to stand up for your beliefs, but it is a line that must be walked with the utmost care, otherwise you do more damage than good.
I've tried to spend a lot of time reflecting during all of this.
At first I wanted to figure everything out. My list was endless with the thoughts that ran through my head. After a time period of that type of thinking, God so gently reminded me to let Him do what He knows how to do, which is EVERYTHING. He is God and I am not.
During a class discussion the student said, "Well everything you read on the Internet is true." I stopped and looked and said, "You're joking, right?!" The student replied," No, isn't it?" Needless to say, I stopped my current lesson and explained all the reasons why you can't believe everything you see/read/hear on the Internet.
These days I'm reminded of that same lesson I tried to teach this young student several years ago. Just because it is on the Internet doesn't make it true, and just because someone says it doesn't make it true. Maybe it is because so many aspects of our lives have been changed in what seems like an instant, and we are desperately looking for truth and understanding, when all we have to do is look at one book that will make it crystal clear. That is the only place real Truth is found.
I've wondered often, what are we supposed to be learning right now that we are missing because our eyes are focused on everything that they shouldn't be? What if all this was meant to refocus our eyes on what we truly need, not just what we want? What if all this was supposed to weed out the bad stuff, not just create more?
I'm not saying I love what is happening right now, I would be silly to say I love it. What I am saying is that instead of using this time to fuel our fires against something, someone, some type of party, use it to fuel goodness for all. Not division. At the beginning, I thought this was going to be a turning point for us all, a time to stand together, a time for unity if you will. But as the weeks and month go by, I see more and more division created. The enemy's plan, no doubt.
I'm not ashamed to say I'm simple minded and perhaps often times naive or too much of an optimist when it comes to a whole slew of topics, but that is the way I prefer to live my life. I don't want to live everyday wondering who is out to get me, wondering who is telling the truth, and wondering whose side I should be on. I want to let God take care of that.
Being a Christian doesn't mean you have to be a pushover and always do what you're told, but it does mean you are to exhibit certain character traits while expressing ourselves. Things like love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, and faithfulness. Sometimes that is a fine line to walk when trying to stand up for your beliefs, but it is a line that must be walked with the utmost care, otherwise you do more damage than good.
I've tried to spend a lot of time reflecting during all of this.
At first I wanted to figure everything out. My list was endless with the thoughts that ran through my head. After a time period of that type of thinking, God so gently reminded me to let Him do what He knows how to do, which is EVERYTHING. He is God and I am not.
I've been told and even quoted this verse to myself, the one that tells us worrying can not add a single day to our life, so why do it? (Matthew 6:27, this is paraphrased). I had to make a decision, was I going to listen to God's unfailing word, or was I going to let the enemy steal the joy of the day?
Simple battle to win right? It seems that I see the enemy is stealing a lot of people's joy right now, so maybe it isn't so simple. I realized it is a daily, hourly, minute by minute battle that has to be approached with the full armor of God.
Each time I was being drug back down, whether it was mentally, physically, or spiritually, I had to fight my way back up with God's truth. Different days brought different battles, therefore different weapons were used. Sometimes it was Bible journaling, other times it was studying and reflecting, other times it was my husband speaking the Truth into my ears, and sometimes it was the beauty of God's creation around me, reminding me that someone greater than I has a plan for me and everyone else.
I don't know what next week, month, or next year will look like and I'm kind of glad because I guarantee more trouble will come. Life is a roundabout of hills and valleys. But it has become so much more clearer to me that God deserves our praise, devotion, and adoration through it all.
I woke up this morning and I choose to use it as another opportunity to serve Jesus through writing, journaling, speaking, mothering, or anything else he can use me for.
I pray you'll make a similar choice friends. 💓
With love,
Tori
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