Have you ever felt like the only direction you could go was round and round? Maybe your brain feels foggy or your heart feels sad. Perhaps you are so consumed by circumstances that you can’t see the forest for the trees. Sometimes, we have big, God-placed dreams and plans inside us, but we can’t seem to put them into motion. Boy, can I relate to that–especially lately! It’s tempting to get so bogged down that we can’t look up!
What we need, then, is a change of scenery…an adjustment to what we can see. It seems to me that when things seem out of whack, at least one of four things is askew: our input, our output, what we are holding, and what we are releasing!
The first thing we must examine is our input! Zig Ziglar said, “You are who you are and what you are because of what has gone into your mind. You can change who you are and what you are by changing what goes into your mind.” Here are some questions to consider about our input: To what do I listen? This includes podcasts, music, and even my own self-talk. What do I watch? Does it honor God and my values? With whom am I surrounded? Do they honor God and affirm my worth to Him? What do I read? Is my Bible #1 on that list?
Now, let’s check into our output. Have you ever considered all the things we produce? Every waking moment, we are putting out thoughts. Some are toxic while others are life-giving. Our thoughts turn into attitudes. They, too, have the power of life and death over the well-being of ourselves and others. We speak thousands of words a day, each with a unique impact. We make dozens of decisions. We work and play and invest in the lives of our families, friends, and co-workers. Each thing we put into the world makes a difference of some kind.
Now for the nitty-gritty: What are we laying down? What are we surrendering to Jesus so that He can make all things new? The truth is, we often lay down the very gifts He longs to give us instead of the unhealthy things that weigh us down! Some of this unnecessary baggage includes our past (things done by us and to us), excessive need for control, rejection, guilt, shame, negative self-talk, and low self-worth. These things do nothing but harm! What else does God ask us to lay down for Him?
- Our lives–John 15:13.
- Condemnation–Romans 8:1.
- Anixety–Philippians 4:6.
- Fear–Isaiah 41:10.
- Our cares–1 Peter 5:7.
- Our burdens–Matthew 11:28
- Our sin–Hebrews 12:1
When we open our hands to release that which holds us back, we are able to pick up what He has for us: the gifts and promises He longs to give. He desires to give us things like strength, authority, restoration, and a sense of purpose in our lives. When we receive His gifts, we walk in them and are guarded by them. What other things does He want us to pick up and carry with us?
- Hope–Psalm 16:9
- Faith–Hebrews 11:1
- Grace–2 Corinthians 12:9
- Peace–John 14:27
- Contentment–1 Timothy 6:6-8
Every good and perfect gift is from above. God wants us to walk in alignment with His gifts. When we align ourselves with Jesus, we can walk through anything, in His strength.
Take a minute today to take stock of these four aspects of your life. Ponder what you are consuming and producing, and ask God to reveal areas that need to be addressed. Think about what you are releasing and what you are carrying, and ask Him to help you make some exchanges, if needed. He is faithful to bend down and help us when we surrender our will to His.
Lord, I thank you for these pieces of perspective. Help us to pay careful attention to our input and output. Help us to grow in our walk with you and become a little bit more like you, each day. Help us lay down our limiting beliefs and unhealthy ways in exchange for the precious gifts you died to give us. In Jesus’ name, amen.