Mind, Get in Line

It wasn’t a typical Labor Day Weekend knowing come Tuesday morning my husband would undergo another procedure in the hospital. 

Nonetheless, we were bound to make it a good one without labor, even though the feast for the holiday would consist of three sticks to his side with Lovenox injections.  

Added to his menu were laxatives, magnesium citrate bottles and a half gallon of orangeade.  Monday’s breakfast would be his only meal before the operation so I wanted to prepare something scrumptious.  Getting up early I set out to make a hearty meal of ground turkey, ground beef, potatoes and wonderful herbs all simmering in a pot.  My veggie meal somehow didn’t smell as aromatic, but we each appreciated our chow. 

After eating we thoroughly enjoyed our day reading, writing and watching old movies or baking shows on You Tube before retiring to bed early.  Up at 6 o’clock a.m. we began the daily routine and finished our chores before leaving the house. 

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Here We Go Again 

We arrived at the hospital by 7:30 a.m. (September 6^th, 2016) as instructed and were escorted to the waiting room for the GI department.  Five people were already there; apparently their loved ones had been taken into surgery.  I can’t imagine how early their day must have begun. 

About five minutes later my husband was taken into another room where behind closed doors he completed more paperwork and changed into a surgical gown.  The nurse came to inform me that right before he was taken into surgery I could go in to see him. 

In the prep room we prayed together, kissed and said I love you to one another.  Then at 8:10 a.m. I watched my husband being wheeled down the hall and out of sight.  Returning to my chair I sat impatiently as the clock ticked on, as if staring at it would make time go by faster. 

60+ Minutes 

The doctor said that the procedure would only take about thirty minutes, which didn’t seem long at the moment.  I tried to keep myself occupied by flipping through magazines not reading a word, walking up and down the hall or replacing the voices in my head with the conversations of those around me. 

I could tell that those seated must have known one another based on the dialog they exchanged.  It was a welcome interruption from the feelings that were trying to surface within me.   

Not focusing on what was happening down the hall in surgery, I stood and walked across the room.  There was a large picture hanging on the wall that was crooked and off center.  Peeking behind the frame I looked to see if it could be moved easily without me knocking it to the floor.  

I noticed a lady sitting nearby watching which gave an opening for a somewhat humorous conversation.  For the past year I’ve looked at that picture hoping that someone would rehang it, but there it was … still as crooked as ever. 

Over the next hour the room emptied one-by-one as the people returned from surgery.  Now I was all alone … except for my thoughts. 

I Called and He Heard Me 

My mind was taking me to places a disciple of Jesus’ shouldn’t go, so I knew I had to get it in line with the Word of God.  Although the procedures hubby was having done weren’t that difficult, the concerns were that he was off his heart medication for almost a week.   

After 30 minutes passed I grew anxious hoping a nurse would come tell me he was in recovery.  When an hour went by it was harder to control my emotions and that’s when fellowship time with Jesus helped my faith to overtake anxiety or fear from surfacing. 

Stretching my legs I leaned over a four foot tall side wall in the waiting room looking at the empty seats before me.  My conversation with the Lord was hushed, almost voiceless, but an open plea for His presence to be made known.  That’s when a passage of scripture came to mind from Psalm chapter 34. 

I will praise the Lord at all times.

I will constantly speak His praises.
I will boast only in the Lord;

let all who are helpless take heart.

Come, let us tell of the Lord’s greatness;

let us exalt His name together.

I prayed to the Lord, and He answered me.

 He freed me from all my fears.

Those who look to Him for help will be radiant with joy;
    no shadow of shame will darken their faces.
In my desperation I prayed, and the Lord listened;

He saved me from all my troubles.

For the Angel of the Lord is a guard;

He surrounds and defends all who fear Him.

Taste and see that the Lord is good.
    Oh, the joys of those who take refuge in Him!

Fear the Lord, you His godly people,
    for those who fear Him will have all they need.
Even strong young lions sometimes go hungry,
    but those who trust in the Lord will lack no good thing.

(Psalm 34:1-10 NLT)

 

Surrounded by the Godhead 

With all my being I’m trying to comprehend what the first disciples encountered with each step of their new life with Christ.  Everything that my husband and I are experiencing I’m approaching differently, analyzing how I dealt with things before and how I am supposed to handle things with the wisdom of God that’s flowing through my blood bought veins. 

 

I’m not expected to walk in the footprints of those who have gone before me, but make my own imprint for the Lord learning from them as God directs my path.  Understanding this has driven me to study, pray and ask more questions along my journey. 

Knowing that there wouldn’t be anyone with me that morning physically, I had already made my requests before the Lord asking that He would send someone as an encourager as I waited.  Over and over I confessed the Word and with each phrase the Holy Spirit was my Comforter. 

I prayed to the Lord, and He answered me.

 He freed me from all my fears. 

My back was still facing the outer hallway as I remained hunched over the side wall with my hands clasped inside one another.  Prayerfully I beckoned to feel the Lord’s presence to help me remain steadfast and strong.   With my eyes closed, calmness overcame my anxiety as I took deep breaths and embraced the moment.  

For the Angel of the Lord is a guard;

He surrounds and defends all who fear Him.  

All of a sudden from behind I felt warm arms wrapped around me, with radiant joyful sounds of delight whispering in my ears.  It was Chrissy, an employee of the hospital from a different department.  She didn’t know we were there, but was coming from the cafeteria.  Seeing me from a distance, Chrissy ran to embrace me with kindness and words of encouragement … just as I prayed!   

Those who look to Him for help will be radiant with joy;
    no shadow of shame will darken their faces.
In my desperation I prayed, and the Lord listened;

He saved me from all my troubles.

 

Healing of the Mind 

If we continue to search what it means to be a disciple we cannot leave out the part where “Jesus healed them all.”  As the selection grew to twelve disciples, each witnessed first-hand the power of healing and casting out demons by Jesus Christ.  Once their faith fully kicked in, they were able to do the same things.  

 

They saw people just touching Jesus’ garment and being healed, and a key point in all of this is that they heard with their own ears the words of Jesus telling the people, “You’re faith has made you whole."  What an opportunity that had to be with the Master. 

Fast forward to today.  Is healing taught, shown or manifested in your church or in the circles you travel?  Probably not that much; as a matter of fact most denominations shy away from the subject of healing. 

There is another area or part of healing I’d like to address.  Did you realize that you could call on the Lord to heal and free you from fear or anxiety as well? 

“Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits."

(Psalm 103:2 NKJV) 

When we receive Christ as our Savior our spirits are born again or “changed”, however our body and mind remain the same.  It is our faith in the ability of Jesus that changes spirit, soul and body.  Being grounded in the Word of God helps us to understand what benefits we have as believers.  Time spent reading the Bible allowed my mind to draw on the correct passage of scripture when I needed it. 

If I hadn’t known that the Lord surrounds those who fear (are reverent to) Him, my emotions could have run wild causing my prayers to be ineffective.  Over and over believer’s witness and testify of their healing from sickness, disease or illness, but little do we hear of people calling on the Lord to help overcome their emotions. 

Since we still live in our earthly flesh bodies, at times we may experience bouts of fear, anxiety or depression.   It is our responsibility to take captive all those thoughts so that they don’t cause us to sin by giving in to them. 

“Casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself

against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into

captivity to the obedience of Christ …”

(2 Corinthians 10:5 NKJV) 

As true followers of Jesus we have to believe that He is with us at all times, standing by us at work, home or even in a hospital waiting room.  He is always available, because just like the early disciples, our journey and calling relies on His presence. 

 

This Week’s Challenge:

Call on the Real God Squad 

As we learn to be the kind of disciple Jesus needs us to be in this age, each lesson should churn the desire to be more like Christ.  I have no doubt that every believer comes to a turning point in life where their faith is tested concerning what God can really do.  If we are to be like our Master, we have to believe He can do all things pertaining to our spirit, soul and body. 

Our challenge this week requires modern day disciples to call on the God squad – Father, Son and Holy Spirit to meet emotional needs.  The undisciplined mind is a playing field for the devil, and when he gains access to the court he will try whatever it takes to cause us to surrender our thought life to negative things that don’t breed life. 

Whenever your mind starts to wander onto the unguarded fear or anxiety road, be mindful of Who guards, surrounds and defends you at that very moment. 

For the Angel of the Lord (Jesus) is a guard;

He surrounds and defends all who fear Him.  

Remember that God has promised that those who turn to Him for their help in times of crisis or difficulty will be favored with inner joy that will change the outward appearance.  When we pray He listens and saves us from our situation the way we need to be saved (not the way we think He should handle things). 

Those who look to Him for help will be radiant with joy;
    no shadow of shame will darken their faces.
In my desperation I prayed, and the Lord listened;

He saved me from all my troubles. 

The surgery on my husband did run a little longer than expected, but I didn’t find out why I had to wait well over an hour until yesterday (Sept 15^th).  Upon returning to the step-down unit for recovery, hubby asked to use the rest room.   After being escorted to the facility by the nurses, he closed the door and immediately fell asleep for fifteen minutes!  I guess it’s only fair since he just found out who showed up in the waiting room when he read this post.  

I didn’t know who would show up that day or even if anyone would in the natural.  However, I did know that God the Father heard my prayer and I exalted Him over any emotion.  His Son Jesus was present and the Holy Spirit gave my soul comfort.   

You don’t have to “go it” alone.  Joyfully glorify, bless and exalt the Lord as He makes His presence known.  Jesus is on the journey with you and is always ready for action.  He is willing to heal and save you from ALL your troubles … all you need to do is have faith in His ability to do it. 

Psalm 34 (Taste and See) – Shane &Shane 

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Until next time, be “mindful” of God’s favor!

 

“My favor covers the spirit, mind and body.”

Jesus Christ 

*Unless noted, the names in articles are changed to protect the individual(s) privacy. 

Note: Emphasis is given in some scriptures to show clarity or understanding and is not to take away from the inspirited Word of God. 

When used, the words satan or devil are not capitalized deliberately, because we give him no place in our lives. 

... and yes the word "discipled" isn't a word used by the world, but that of believers. 

Disclaimer: Article information is not meant to be used as treatment for mental or physical issues, but geared toward spiritual awareness. 

What’s New This Week: Click on photo the or link.

 

Living Beyond Your Feelings:

Controlling Emotions So They Don't Control You

By Joyce Meyer

 

Available in hardcover, paperback, Spanish version, eBook, Audio

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Another helpful resource:

 

Battlefield of the Mind

Book & Study guide by Joyce Meyer 

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Scripture reference was taken from the New King James Bible Version provided by Bible Gateway.
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