Like the last four years.
Every year I tell myself I'll never do it again, but here I am again :)
Anyway, its not that bad and I have lots of time to listen to music and think and listen to sermons on my Ipod and the other day I was listening to Joyce Meyer (one of the most straight up, blunt, to the point speakers that I know) and she said this:
"You don't have to entertain every thought that comes into your mind"
This wasn't her main point but it got me thinking...
To entertain someone in your house means to invite them in and give them food and water and anything they might need, to make them feel welcome and comfortable.
Now imagine your mind as your house.. lots of thoughts are going to come knocking at the door but its completely up to you what you allow in. Your house is not a drop in centre for just anyone, its your home.
You wouldn't let people who look dangerous or sifty or evil into your home... so why do we let the equivalent thoughts into our mind?
They don't necessarily have to be even that obviously bad... As soon as I started being more aware of my thoughts, I started seeing unwelcome visitors that I had never realised were messing up my house before.
For example, I was at work and it was hot and I was feeling tired and I left the door open and an ugly little thought wandered in saying "I don't even want to be here, I could leave early and go swimming. Its hot, don't worry about reaching for those top apples, they'll just get it with the truck later"Or.. My friend has an incredible gift of sensing what people are feeling and seeing what God is doing in them, and when she mentioned something about it this pot bellied jealousy thought almost ran through the door!
Those aren't really destructive things, but overtime they will take over your house!
So I decided to stop being so passive about what thought came into my mind and I'm practicing being aggressive and selective and deciding what thoughts I entertain in my minds lounge room.
Yesterday at the orchard, whenever I recognised a thought that was not helpful or kind or necessary or pure, I spoke out loud "Get out of my house, you're not welcome here!"
(obviously the out loud approach isn't always appropriate but it was okay in the orchard)
At first I was disturbed at how much I had to say it, but I know that overtime, my house is going to get tidier and safer and a better place.
Some thoughts have been freeloading off you, being entertained by you for so long that they're not just going to leave. For years and years they've been stealing your time and energy, they've been destroying your friendships and relationships and quality of life.
Some of the more common long term residents...
" You were never loved properly as a kid and so you cant be expected to love people well now"
"I do so much for them and they don't even notice, why do I ever bother?!"
"I need to work harder, be better, eat less, exercise more, get more money ... then I'll be okay, then I'll be happy"
Don't be discouraged if they don't leave and stay away the first time you decide to kick them out... some will keep trying to come back, but make it clear that you're in control now, you will no longer let pointless and unhelpful and destructive guests into your house, and eventually they'll get the picture.
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