The 3 Ms

Lately I have had three prayer requests for those who ask how they can pray for me.  Each begins with the letter m to help make it easier for them.  Mouth, mind, and motivation.  These are the key areas of my life in which I strongly and urgently need divine assistance from.

My mouth often gets me into trouble.  It speaks without hesitation at times.  It spouts off bitter words rather than the sweet ones for which it was designed.  It responds in anger when something has been said to me that my flesh did not like.  Because I am a writer, my mouth is connected too closely to my fingers and like my lips, they don't always know when to stop.

My mind thinks about all of this as it happens.  It wonders and wanders about the best response.  In the space of a millisecond, it can rationalize, argue, and draw on past memories to send it into one orbit or another universe, all while battling against itself for the rightful response.

And there's where motivation comes in.  I can please the flesh or I can please the Father.  I don't always choose correctly.

This morning while reading Proverbs 15, verse 28 stood out to me.  It reads likes this:  The heart of the righteous studies how to answer, But the mouth of the wicked pours forth evil.

A righteous heart is what I yearn for but too often have to contend with a self-righteous one instead.  Thus, my prayer request for the 3 Ms.  If my mouth will fall in line with my mind's thoughts--when they are seeking the good things, that is--my motivation for pleasing the Lord and reflecting a Christ-like attitude will all work together.  

Something happened yesterday and it really set me off.  I was in danger of losing control of my actions and fumed for quite a while.  The things I wrote and then deleted.  The thoughts I had that were filled with such meanness!  And let's not even talk about the self-recriminations for being so vile.

When my husband came home and we discussed our days, I of course had to share all of this with him.  Then, as he so often does, my hubby balmed my disquieted soul with this reminder from James:  Be angry and sin not.  

"Get mad," he said.  "Be furious!  God never said you couldn't be upset.  But tell Him.  Rant and rave to Him.  He can take it.  He can deal with your mean thoughts.  He can handle your unkind words.  They don't surprise Him and they don't lessen you in His eyes."  

Something like that.  Steve wasn't giving me a license to be Hate Goat Queen of the Year but he was validating my emotions and my right to them.  At the same time, he was reminding me that if I look for fault over one incident then I am probably going to have a wealth of material to draw from as I ruminate over the past mistakes of the one who infuriated me and before long an avalanche of bitterness may well up in me, taking me down a path that is not meant to be trod.  As I dwell on past infractions, my mind is filled with things that are not lovely, not good, and not Christlike.  

It's so easy for the devil to sidetrack me.  An innocent conversation can quickly turn into a place for him to stick his nasty foot and interrupt something good with insinuations, falsehoods, and damage my calm that was too easily blown away.  See why I need the 3 Ms prayed consistently and fervently for me?  Let's do that now, shall we, lest I ramble on and on?

Dear Lord, 

To begin with, I need to apologize to You for being such a late bloomer.  Things that have resonated with others for years I seem to have a harder time grasping and applying.  Controlling the tongue has been taught to me for years but somehow I keep failing the test.  You know how I strive to achieve success in this area but Father?  I keep faltering.

As I come to You now and ask for help with my mouth, my mind, and my motivation, I ask for You to implement Your Word more thoroughly into my life.  My aim is to be more like Jesus and when I miss the mark, Lord, it saddens me.  

Thank You for Your Word, Your mercy, and Your longsuffering as I continue this journey.  Thank You for the opportunities You place before me to do better.  May I do better today is my prayer.  Amen.

How you doin'?

Good morning!  Tell me something:  how are you really doing today?  I know:  that’s a loaded question.  Some of you would automatically reply “I’m fine.  How are you?”  while others would say “I’m okay” or “I’ve been better.”  A few might respond “You don’t really want to know!”  

And then there are those of you who would ponder momentarily how much I genuinely care to hear your answer and then you would tell me the truth.  You’re barely hanging on.  You have issues that no one else knows of.  Maybe it’s a medical situation that you think is too embarrassing to speak of.  Maybe your kid kept you up all night or your hubby didn’t come home.  Maybe your boss is on your case.  Perhaps you are struggling with spiritual issues and are too ashamed to tell anyone because if you did then your reputation as Sister Saint might be tarnished.  

As for me and how I am doing today, I’ll be honest.  I’m okay.  Not great; but not too poorly.  If I am not careful, my mind can stray into areas that are not good for it to be in because they can bring up past pains that I have dealt with but that still have the power to prick at me.  They come along innocently enough, as they did last night when Steve and I were talking about how rotten television is.  After the past few episodes of “Game of Thrones” I am thoroughly sickened of the gratuitous violence and sexual deviancy.  Top that off with binge-watching “Empire” and the horrid depictions of family and I am near ready to throw my Roku away and never turn on the tube again.

But that’s another topic.  What got my mind off-track last night--or threatened to--was when we were talking about the images in my mind that I don’t need to be there.  One of my private fears is that when I get just a smidge older that I might develop Alzheimer’s and/or dementia. How awful would it be for my sweet mouth to start spouting off bitter and harsh words, ugly words, shameful words that leave a lasting memory in my kids’ and grandkids’ minds?  Forget the straight-jacket.  Instead, have my mouth wired shut would be my number one pick on my living will agenda.

The other thing that tried to damage my calm was when Steve innocently asked something about the way the family was portrayed in “Empire.”  At church the other night, in his class they studied a passage from I Thessalonians 4.  Long story short, the word ‘concupiscence’ from verse 5 was discussed, as well as parts of the rest of the book and how we are not to covet what our brothers have.  Steve asked something to the effect of “is that what you think K and B did to you?”  Immediately--not like I would have been this time last year, thank You, Jesus!--I told him I did not even want to think about that because I was so tired of the devil trying to stir up strife in areas I have dealt with.  And that’s what the heart of my message is today, friends.

“How are you” I asked at the beginning of this blog.  Not “how were you” is my question.  If you cannot see any change in your walk, any discipline in what you are letting control your thoughts, or any positive signs that you are not your former self, then drop me a line.  Call your pastor’s wife.  Get in touch with a friend who can spiritually advise you. Something needs to change so that you can live the abundant life that has been promised to you.  It’s so much better than the one where your shoulders are sagging and you can’t lift your head because of all of the weights you are needlessly carrying around!  As a saved soul, the Bible tells us in II Corinthians 5:17 “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.”  Let those old pains go.  Let those old habits die.  Let those old friends and/or loves that are hurting you go.  You don’t need them.  

I don’t write these things lightly, dear ones.  It has taken me a long time to get to the place I am today.  I still slip into old patterns when I lose my focus on Christ and keep it on me.  How I wish you didn’t have to learn the hard way!  Don’t be stubborn and full of pride.  You may think no one will care or like you if you act the “right way.”  And you might be correct.  Or maybe, just maybe, you will learn to like yourself enough again to realize that that is better company anyway.  When it’s just you and Jesus, it’s a much better relationship than those that are leaving you so bereft.

Let’s pray!

Oh Lord, as my words resound in my ears, I cannot help but reflect on how low I was for so long as I let my past control any future I hoped to have.  The hurts and the wrongs I clung to made me a bitter soul--and a lonely one.  No one wants to be around an old hag who just feels sorry for herself and wants to whine about how she was so wronged.  Sure, at first friends were kind but then they couldn’t help but wonder when I’d shake it off, when I’d let it all go, and when I’d let You work Your grace in me.

Sorry that it took so long, God, for You to penetrate my cold, stony heart.  My stubbornness and need to be vindicated came at a high price.  Please allow a portion of this life lesson to seep into another’s soul and let her think twice before letting the devil control her thoughts the way I allowed him to for too much of my life.

Lastly Lord?  Thank You ever so much for temperance.  You showed it to me.  You impressed it upon my husband to be patient with me.  You allowed me time to heal and though it took longer than it should have, my wounds aren’t open anymore.  They don’t bleed unless I pick at my scars and God?  I’m tired of that ugliness marring my body.  I’m tired of having to pretend to be something, someone, that I am not.  A new creation, better, stronger, and trusting in You.  No, I’m not the Bionic Woman but I’m someone better than I was.  Through You, Lord God, I have been made new.  May it be for so for those reading this today is my prayer.  Love them, Lord, as You loved me.  In the name of Jesus, amen.