Greetings Dear Reader,
How often do we think or say that what is occurring is not
what we intended? We perhaps had a slip
of the tongue. Maybe we did not intend
for things to go the way they have. We
say to ourselves, “I wish I had thought of that.”
It is in the mind that all our troubles begin. It is how we think about things that
determines how we feel, our attitude, and ultimately our actions. Thomas Traherne, one of my favorite seventeenth-century
writers penned this: “To think well is to serve God in the interior court.”
Paul suggested to the Corinthians that, “We demolish
arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of
God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.” It is clear that what we do and become
begins in the mind. The thoughts of the mind are what form who we become. If I consider this in light of my current
question, I can see how it can be practically realized.
If the foundation is love, then vulnerability is vital. I must not have thoughts that resist the
thought to be loving to everyone. More
so, I must think actively about how to show love to others. It must be at the core of my thinking.
The other side of this coin is the idea that when others
seek to harm or offend me if love is at the heart of my thinking, they
cannot. I can feel hurt but not be
offended. I may feel anger and still not
sin by failing to love. To do this I
must hold captive every thought I have.
I cannot follow paths of thought that stand against the knowledge to
love the Father and love every human and continue to follow Christ.
The practice of capturing our thoughts leads to mental
discipline that makes us invulnerable.
What others intend for evil, the Father can use for good. Those who reject us need our forgiveness and
love. Those who have done us the most
harm most deeply need our love and prayers.
I must love at every turn, even when it hurts. I can show love in every situation if I
employ humility and grace; if I think well.
The armor provided is sufficient. Cloaked in active living love, it becomes
impervious. It is all controlled by
thinking. We must remember our need for
grace and mercy. We must dwell on the
things for which we need forgiveness. We
must gain strength from the knowledge that if we refuse to be offended, we can
use the power of love to crush every barrier.
We can be a beacon of love and grace that allows others to see the
source of it, Jesus.
I will not say that this is easy. I will say that the attempt, after 44 days is
worth it. There is a level of peace
within this path that I have never known.
The wrongs that others do still hurt.
It is my thinking and responses that are changing. My thoughts turn to love and grace more
rapidly. My heart longs for others to cease
the things they do that are hurtful, not for my sake but for theirs.
If I capture my thoughts in every moment and turn them
toward love and grace, I can become invincible and vulnerable all at once Dear
Reader. It is the closest I can see to
the path that Christ lays out for us.
This is going to be very difficult at times. So far, however, it is worth it.
Wishing you joy in the journey,
Aramis Thorn
Mat 13:52 So Jesus said to them, "That is why every
writer who has become a disciple of Christ’s rule of the universe is like a
homeowner. He liberally hands out new and old things from his great treasure
store.”
(͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)
Contacts for Aramis
Thorn:
#aramisthorn
Bookings: aramisthorn@aramisthorn.com
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