“May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. The one who calls you is faithful and he will do it.” (1 Thessalonians 5:23, 24).
Like you, I check my incoming email very carefully. I don’t open anything suspicious. Why? I don’t want to get a virus that will mess up my whole program.
My mind is like a computer. A file that keeps popping up in my memory is the “It’s not fair!” file. I compare my life with someone who seems to have more of what I want and come away feeling cheated. Take for instance, the staff Christmas banquet. Happy couples beckoned to other happy couples to come and sit with them. As a single, I had to find my own place. Immediately, an unhappy thought flitted through my mind: Why can’t I be blessed like them?
Opening up the “It’s Not Fair” file–as I’m so prone to do–is dangerous. A vicious self-pity virus is attached to it. It sends my mood spiraling downwards. It messes up my whole outlook on life. It distorts reality, preventing me from seeing my own blessings.
So what’s the best thing to do when an unpleasant memory flashes on the screen of your mind? Don’t open the file. Instead, send it away into cyberspace–to God. “Here, God, I give this to You as a sacrifice.” A sacrifice? Yes, you have every right to be self-indulgent, but you’ve decided it’s not worth it. You want to get on with the program. You want the most out of life.
You want your life to be colored with thanksgiving and praise.
Dear God, cleanse me from every trace of self-pity. I want to be sound in spirit, soul, mind, and body. I want to get the most out of this day.
You can comment on this devotional online at:
https://thoughts-about-god.com/blog/2012/10/28/hl_put-up-a-firewall/
http://www.helenlescheid.com
_________________________________________
follow us on Facebook
follow us on Twitter
For Mobile Devices – God-daily.com