Butterfly Minds

September 24, 2015

"Our culture encourages us to have butterfly minds, flitting from one thought to another without going deep into anything." J.I. Packer

We are constantly surrounded by all kinds of things seeking to grab our attention, even if we only give them a few seconds of our time. Chances are that before you clicked on the link to this post, you had just finished reading a post or two before it. Perhaps you were scrolling through some form of social media.

The fact is, Packer's words are spot on and I firmly believe that this is not the way God meant for our minds to function. I will be the first person to admit that I am so guilty of using my mind in ways that are in direct rebellion to God. I've been very open about my tendency to worry. These words by Packer clued me into the diagnosis of another problem that I was only vaguely aware of.

I don't have to tell you how butterfly minds work. You know and I do too. If you find yourself lost in the fog of flitting from one thought to another, you're not alone. BUT, we don't have to give into the tendency that our culture encourages.

The mind is a gift and a tool and when the Spirit breathed new life into our soul, He also did a work on our minds. Our minds are not part of this culture. If we let allow them to fit into it, they will, but there is grace that shows us the way out of this trap.

When I read the Gospels, Christ's relationship with the Father is what inspires me more than anything else. I want to have the mind of Christ living in me. The mind of Christ was no butterfly mind - it was focused, it was sure, and it was aimed at guiding the body of the God-Man to live and think and act for the glory of the Father.

The fact is, that same mind is ours because of Christ. In Philippians 2:5 Paul exhorts believers to, "Have this mind [of humility] among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus..." We know from reading the Bible that Christ was no flitter. We know from experience that flitting does not satisfy.

We are here to experience and share and magnify the name of our Lord. Romans 12:2 explains the importance and result of being freed from all of this flitting, "Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect."

 It's up to each of us to figure out what it will take to teach our minds to stand strong against distractions. The outcome will be worth the effort because transformation happens by the renewal of our minds.

Do you share this struggle?

How have you or are you working to overcome it?

How to Stop Wasting Your Life

Yesterday at Desiring God, Marshall Segal put up a great post that I just had to share with you here. You can view the content of the original post HERE. Feel free to click around Desiring God - you will find TONS of food for you soul!

Just in case you aren't in the mood to click over to Desiring God right now, I thought I'd share this video from the post right here:

Three Steps to Stop Wasting Your Life from Desiring God on Vimeo.

Living an unwasted life has been a passion of mine ever since I read Piper's book (Don't Waste Your Life) when I was 15. Nearly ten years later, I need all the encouragement that I can get.

Wasting our lives, that is, spending it on ourselves and our glory, is way too easy. The wasted life is one that comes to us naturally.

There is a different life. A better life. A life that leaves us more satisfied and promises eternal joy. That life is the unwasted life, namely, the life lived in the pursuit of God for the glory of God. This life will look like so many things and it will change as the seasons of our life and responsibilities change, but the God centeredness of it never changes.

You've probably highlighted verses like Proverbs 3:5-6. They've probably meant a lot to you. When we take a minute to really think about how these verses can impact our daily life, they came come to mean even more.

Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.

Trust God.

Resolve to NOT be self reliant.

Keep turning to God. 

Don't waste your life. You'll be so glad you didn't!

Ships Going Somewhere

A few years ago, Hebrews 6:19 was showing up everywhere online. You probably know it. In the ESV Hebrews 6:19-20 says, 
"We have this as a sure and steadfast anchor of the soul,  a hope that enters into the inner place behind the curtain,  where Jesus has gone as a forerunner on our behalf,  having become a high priest forever after the order of Melchizedek."
(The book of Hebrews is so good....I can't wait to get there in my reading plan!!!)
When I first saw that verse going around, I was right in the middle of adding some details to the hall bathroom. I happened to see two things to hang on the wall that matched with the paint and the shower curtain...You guessed it, they were beach related! 

I framed one of my favorite pictures and then decided to design a print based off of that verse in Hebrews. Unfortunately, I put it on the wall in my bedroom for safe keeping (until I got a frame for it). That was in November of 2012...Oops! I was reminded of all of that when I took it off the wall earlier this week in order to prepare for the work being done in there. 
This morning, I came across Ephesians 1:18 which says,
 "I pray that the Father of glory enlighten the eyes of your heart, that you may know what is the hope to which He has called you." 

In God we have a higher call than to simply know Him or serve Him or worship Him. We have a hope which is THE HOPE. God made it so that we could KNOW what that hope of ours really is. 
The hope is a sure and steadfast anchor. The hope goes before us. The hope is for us to know. The hope is Jesus. 
By the hope we are made new. By the hope EVERYTHING changes. 
In an article posted on the Reach Records website, they were talking about their mission as a record label. With the dawn of a new year, we're all kicking around ideas about our mission. In the article they said, "the ship isn't floating aimlessly around the sea". 
I love these verses. I love the hope that is mine. My prayer for 2014 is, "Lord, may the hope keep me from floating aimlessly around the sea." 
May we be ships that are going somewhere. May the eyes of our hearts SEE that we may KNOW what is the hope to which we have been called.