Have you thanked Him?
Have you praised Him?
Have you made it your priority to agree and cooperate with Him today?
Have you taken that deep breath and listened for what He has for you today?
1 Timothy 2:1 (The Message)
The first thing I want you to do is pray. Pray every way you know how, for everyone you know.
It sure is easy to get distracted isn’t it?
Easy to succumb to our impulses or be a bit reckless at times?
When I think about distractions and compulsiveness, I always think of the happy-go-lucky talking pooch from UP, DUG.
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There he is explaining his amazing affection for his master and then suddenly…SQUIRREL!
Sound familiar?
What made me think of this today was that I was with Dr. Brad Lander this past weekend.
He is a PhD, LICDC. Clinical Director / Psychologist for Talbot Hall the Addiction Medicine at The Ohio State. University Wexner Medical Center.
Brad is a great guy. Crazy smart.
His thoughts truly revolutionized my view of my personal challenge with substance use disorder. He does an amazing talk called “Understanding Addiction; Squirrel Logic”. He surmises that we ALL have an inner squirrel brain, that part of the brain that “wants what it wants when it wants it”; that EASILY distracted impulsive, compulsive part of the brain.
We all have one. We do.
What makes us a little different from the squirrels inside of us is we DO have another part of our brain that is designed to corral our inner squirrels. I know this probably sounds wacky. But trust me.
Look up frontal cortex/lobe. It is our “governor” … 😊
And I believe if we were to admit it, we all are a little like DUG from time to time, aren’t we? We do our best to stay focused on our love for “the Master”, efforting to obey and honor Him with our decisions our speech and our actions only to “get distracted” by the “squirrel” inside of each of us.
And without a doubt the devil uses this inner “squirrel” to knock us off the beam, divert our attention and to constantly disrupt our connection to the MASTER.
He plays upon:
The self-centered “squirrel”.
The angry “squirrel”.
The pity-party “squirrel”.
The envious “squirrel”.
The busy agenda “squirrel”.
The lustful “squirrel”.
Playing on those thoughts and compulsions that lead us away from our “MASTER”, from making good decisions, and from His plan and purpose for us.
Therefore, when the “squirrel” tries to emerge, refocus, and remember that wonderful “truism” penned some years ago. "The main thing is to keep the main thing the main thing."-- Stephen R. Covey
What is that main thing?
To constantly be striving to seek, find, and walk in the WILL of the “Master” for our lives. To allow that “other part of our brain” to do the talking, the thinking, and the deciding and keep the distractions and impulses to a minimum!!!
…my eye (IS) on the goal, where God is beckoning us onward—to Jesus. Philippians 3:14 (MSG)
let (ourselves) be pulled into a way of life shaped by God’s life, a life energetic and blazing with holiness.
1 Peter 1:13 (MSG)
So today, suppress that inner squirrel that is doing its best to compel and distract you.
Don’t lose your focus on the goal or the main thing.
Keep those impulses and bay and let the day be shaped by good choices and good decisions.
Allow GOD…
to make you intelligent and discerning…focused and clear…Ephesians 1:17 (MSG)
Suppress that inner "squirrel" & “Let discernment be your trustee…” - Hodge
I love you all!
OPPORTUNITIES for HOPE
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