While we were on vacation recently, there were two times when I couldn’t see something because of fog.
The first time was looking out the window at my parents’ house in Tennessee and not being able to see the mountains we usually enjoyed. I knew they were there, but the fog completely blanketed them for a while.
The second time was when we were going through St. Louis on the way home. The fog wasn’t terrible for driving, but when I looked over at the arch, I could only see a short section of the base. The top was completely covered.
The mountains were there. The arch was there. I just couldn’t see them.
Sometimes that happens in my thought life.
The fog of anxiety, or depression, or confusion, or frustration can completely cover all of the positive thoughts that are normally there. I just can’t see them.
But the positive thoughts are still there.
Just like the sun has to shine and burn off the fog before we can see things around us clearly, the Son has to shine in our hearts and minds before we can see the positives again.
We can burn off that mental fog by talking to God about what’s going on in our lives, reading the Bible and taking note of the truths that have gotten covered up, and basking in the promises of God.
No matter how long that fog stays around, we can be sure that better times are still there. We’ll see them again!
“Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.” (Hebrews 11:1 ESV)
Have things seemed a little “foggy” for you lately? How can focusing on God help you to trust that you’ll see better times again someday?
Have you ever misremembered something that happened to you in the past?
Maybe you’ve had a certain version of an experience in your mind (it can be a good memory or a bad one). Then one day you talk with someone who was there, hear it from their point of view, and you realize you’ve been thinking about it the wrong way for years and years!
It can be disorienting to realize you’ve been wrong about something that happened to you in your younger years.
Our thoughts aren’t always accurate.
That can be true of past thoughts, current thoughts, and future thoughts.
We can’t do anything about those past thoughts. We just need to recognize that those were faulty and let them go.
Current and future thoughts? We can do something about those.
We can be aware of what we’re thinking and compare it to what God says. If those thoughts are faulty, we can catch them and turn them around.
If we practice doing that, more than likely our future thoughts will keep getting better and better.
“I remember the days of old; I meditate on all that you have done; I ponder the work of your hands.” (Psalm 143:5 ESV)
Are your memories sometimes faulty? How can focusing on God help you to be more aware of what you’re thinking right now and make sure it lines up with what he says?
*P.S. – Tonight I did a short live video on this topic over in my Facebook group: Catch Your Thoughts with Robyn Mulder. I’d love it if you’d join the group and check it out. It’s free and you’ll find videos and posts to help you be more aware of how you’re thinking.
Some days are more challenging than others. On those days, you just might have a near-miss when the bright early morning sun gets in your eyes at the 4-way stop in town. You might text the wrong person to reschedule when your husband sets a meeting that begins during your online Bible study (and you’ll get a few texts in before you realize the mistake and have to apologize and say “Sorry, we’re not visiting you today”). You might throw a bowl at a gym full of children.
Maybe I better back up.
I went to Dakota Christian School this morning to do part of chapel. The lesson was from Judges 6:17 and the focus was on Gideon asking God for signs. I put a white towel (I misplaced my fleece) down and explained that Gideon asked God to make the fleece wet with dew and keep the ground dry around it. Then I picked up the “fleece” and placed a bowl under it. I pretended to wring the towel out, and then I picked up the bowl and announced that the fleece was so wet it produced a whole…BOWL FULL OF WATER!
I dramatically thrust the bowl into the air, releasing a shower of little blue pieces of paper to represent the water, and throwing the bowl about fifty feet away from us—where it landed with a clatter.
I laughed nervously and ran to pick it up while the kids erupted in excited chatter. I heard several calls of “Encore! Encore!” We went on with Gideon’s story and they hopefully will remember to talk to God and look for signs from him in the Bible when he calls them to do whatever he has planned for them (and not just think of the silly woman throwing a bowl at them).
I’m not just telling you all this to make you laugh and be glad you’re not me.
I’m sharing it so you can take a look at your own embarrassing moments and make a choice when you decide how to think about them. What’s that? You don’t think you have a choice? I beg to differ with you.
In all three of my situations today, I could have chosen to think negatively about myself.
“I almost had a car accident. I should have put my visor down. I’m so stupid. I shouldn’t be driving.” (I would have been stressed and all shook up on my way to Dakota Christian.)
“I texted the wrong person. She’s going to think I’m an idiot. I should have listened better when Gary told me who we were meeting. I’m so dumb.” (I could have worked myself into a state of shame and embarrassment if I kept replaying my mistake.)
“I just threw a bowl during chapel. I’m so foolish. I thought about that possibility this morning, but I was sure I’d never let go of it. Someone could have gotten hurt!” (I could have gotten so embarrassed that I started crying and ran out of chapel without finishing.)
Instead, I caught my thoughts and decided to laugh about my mistakes. It was a choice.
“Thank you, God, that I didn’t have an accident. I’ll be more careful next time.”
“Our friend said ‘No problem’ when I explained my mix-up. I can laugh and move on.”
“I threw the bowl off to the side. It didn’t break. Nobody got hurt and the kids thought it was great. Next time I’ll use a styrofoam bowl, but for today I can laugh and let it go.”
I know some circumstances and mistakes are more serious than what happened to me today, but we still have a choice. With practice, we can choose true, uplifting thoughts instead of the negative, hopeless ideas we often rehearse over and over.
Catch your thoughts, friend. Take a good look at them. Get rid of the ones that keep you guilty, ashamed, and negative. Keep thinking the ones that help you be more free, confident, and positive.
You may even be able to laugh at something more serious than throwing a bowl.
“A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones.” (Proverbs 17:22 NIV)
What thoughts do you have when you make a mistake? How can focusing on God help you to think differently and laugh at your errors?
*By the way, did you know I have a little private Facebook group called “Catch Your Thoughts with Robyn Mulder“? I try to share resources and ideas to help us all catch our thoughts over there. Check it out!
Thinking too much about our past can really mess up how we’re living in the present and stifle our possibilities for the future.
I’m not saying we should completely wipe out all memories of the past. Reliving good times and successes can bring us joy and boost our confidence. Remembering mistakes and failures can keep us from making the same errors all over again.
We get into trouble when we rehearse the past (especially the negatives) over and over again in our minds. I don’t think it does us any good to dwell on what we could have done differently, how we should have responded, or what we would have done if we could go back and relive those moments.
We did something. We made the best (or worst) choice we could have made at the time. Now we have to live with it and move on.
We remember, but we choose to forget the past so that we can move forward. (If that’s extremely difficult to do, it may help to talk to a professional counselor so you can get unstuck.)
Let’s spend the majority of our time taking advantage of the present so we can look forward to an even better future.
“One thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 3:13–14 NIV)
Do you spend way too much time thinking about the past? How can focusing on God help you to live well right now?
I did a short video on this topic tonight over in my “Catch Your Thoughts with Robyn Mulder” Facebook group. Check it out…and if you want to see more videos that might help you catch your thoughts, I invite you to join the group.
I had a little “oops” with some bacon this week. Five strips wouldn’t fit on the main sheet pan I was using, so I put them on another pan and set them on the rack below the other pan and set the timer for 20 minutes.
I got busy with something else, and when I went to take it out, I could see smoke coming out of the vent. I knew I was in trouble. Sure enough, the charred remains greeted me when I opened the oven door.
Luckily, the other pan looked nicely done and it tasted delicious.
But I sure hated wasting that precious bacon.
Bacon’s not cheap, you know. Someone had given us some nice tomatoes, and we already had part of a head of lettuce, so we just had to splurge so we could make BLTs.
A little more thought could have prevented my bacon disaster. Of course, putting them closer to the heat source in the oven would get them done faster. I should have thought of that. I could have moved the rack higher, or watched the bacon to make sure it didn’t burn.
This was just a cooking mistake. No big deal, right? At least the rest of the bacon survived.
I’m afraid there may be other areas of my life where I’m not careful and I “waste the bacon,” so to speak.
Time is precious, but I sometimes squander it with thoughtless activities that don’t do me or anyone else any good.
Words are precious, but I sometimes burn someone with a thoughtless comment (usually my poor husband).
Money is precious, but I sometimes spend it on frivolous things I don’t need (not too often, but when I do I have that feeling of regret, like seeing that burned bacon coming out of the oven).
Thoughts are precious, but I sometimes allow my mind to wander and fixate on negative things that lead to all sorts of bad feelings (and sometimes, actions).
Just a little wisdom and care will help us not to “waste the bacon.”
We can plan our days so we aren’t wasting precious time.
We can pray and think before we speak so we don’t burn anyone with our precious words.
We can stop and consider our purchases so we don’t waste our precious money.
We can take our thoughts captive and make sure they’re good for us so we use our precious thoughts well.
And we can keep an eye on whatever is in the oven so we don’t waste our precious bacon.
“Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is. ” (Ephesians 5:15-17 NIV)
Have you ever wasted bacon (or anything else) because you weren’t careful? How can focusing on God help you to have those times of waste happen less frequently?
