Our Thought Life
by Gemma Gardner
It’s really lovely to be living so near the sea and to be able to walk there in a matter of minutes. It is amazing, too, to watch the seagulls flying and wheeling through the air. They look such big birds on the ground that I wonder sometimes how they can take off. My husband, Dean, saw a nest on the roof of the building opposite us, and the mother seagull has been sitting there for weeks. But now there are two chicks to be fed.
However, there is a downside to living by the sea. We were walking down a road one day and Dean pointed out to me a white car. It was spattered with seagull droppings and really needed a thorough cleaning. Maybe it had been parked there for days and the owner hadn’t realised what a state it was in. Dean often has to clean our car because of the seagulls’ droppings, and it’s annoying to find them when we are just about to go out somewhere.
When we have given our lives over to the Lord Jesus, the enemy loves to come and put defiling thoughts into our minds, just like those seagulls’ droppings. You could be walking down a street and hear people using foul language. It could be something you see on the television for just one second, and an arrow goes into your mind, or something your read or listen to.
We can’t stop things happening to us which cause defiling thoughts to spring into our minds, but we can bring them to Jesus and throw them out. It’s something we will always have to do while we are here on earth, just as Dean will have to keep cleaning the car when the seagulls have been visiting.
The enemy will try to accuse us and tell us what horrible people we are to have such bad thoughts when, really, they come from him in the first place. Don’t feel guilty when these arrows come but resist them. It’s only when we let bad thoughts take root in us and we keep thinking about them that they become sinful. We need to repent of them and be forgiven by the Lord as we confess them to Him.
But the Apostle Paul gives us some good ideas of things to think about; ‘Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honourable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise’ (Philippians 4:8).
One thing that really helps me is to keep thanking the Lord for every small thing He does for me. Also, it helps me to think about the words of a hymn or Christian song as I walk through the town.
Prayer: Lord, I ask for Your protection over my mind today. Please give me discernment to know when the enemy is firing his flaming darts at me. Help me to resist him and think about those things that are really pleasing to You. Please guard my steps as I come and go, and be Lord of all I think, say and do. I ask this for Your glory, Lord Jesus. Amen.
Gemma Gardner lives in Norfolk with her husband, Dean, who until recently worked at Ellel Grange. They are both part of the Associate Ministry team which Gemma joined after completing the Modular school. Gemma has experienced the Lord`s healing and restoration over many years and longs to see Him healing other broken people. Gemma loves listening to music, cooking, knitting and crochet as well as outdoor exercise. She enjoys playing guitar and singing worship songs.
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