Sunday, October 14, 2012

Weekend Worship—Peaceful Paths for Troubling Thoughts


Every word of God is true. He guards those who come to him for safety. Proverbs 30:5

I love being outside, but I’m not a big fan of flying insects. Particularly irritating are those swarms of gnats that sometimes come out of nowhere and surround me. It invariable happens when I’m in the middle of something, when it’s not convenient to move away. But convenient or not, that’s the only way I’ve found to get rid of them. I’ve tried batting at them, waving my arms around like I’m trying to take off. I only end up looking like a fool. The only way I’ve found to get rid of them is to take action, to move down a different path.

My thoughts are like that. Sometimes they get stuck on the most ridiculous track, swarming around lies or topics that have no relationship to truth, and no business being in my mind. They circle around my best intentions, overpowering my puny efforts to bat them away. As with the gnats, the only way I’ve found to battle these errant thoughts is to move down a different path.


The way I’ve found to break this cycle is through Scripture. I focus on God and His word. The strength of God’s Word moves me past my troubling thoughts and into more peaceful paths.

4 comments:

  1. Edie, you've hit on a word picture that has staying power. Even your photo choice makes me want to go down that different path. Thanks!

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  2. Edie,
    Getting rid of the distractions and going down a different path is never easy. Reading my Bible, 'Jesus Calling' and 'My Utmost for His Highest' every morning is giving me strength to face many of the changes going on in my life.
    Thank you for this post.
    Earleen

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  3. I get annoyed by gnats, too. Goodness, I have had to take different paths many times. I'm glad that something, or rather, someone, redirected me.

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  4. Thank you for this timely post. Jackie Perry

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