Open Heart or Closed Mind?

 

By Andrea Merrell

For Wisdom is better than all the trappings of wealth;

nothing you could wish for holds a candle to her.

Proverbs 8: 11 MSG

 

The session became intense as friction filled the room. The wife glared at her husband and then the therapist. “He never listens. He’s so close-minded. No matter how many times I try to have a conversation, he shuts me out.”

The therapist shook her head knowingly. “I see. You know, conversation includes dialogue from both parties. Are you leaving room for dialogue or just blasting him with a diatribe?”

The scene was part of a TV sitcom, but I wondered how many times this scenario takes place in real life. Many times we want a true, heart-to-heart conversation, but find ourselves ranting instead, unwilling to hear or consider the other person’s point of view.

Someone once said the mind is a terrible thing to waste. How do we waste it? By keeping it closed. Closed to new ideas, suggestions, and better ways of doing things. Closed to the thoughts and opinions of others. Closed to anything that goes against our grain.

In Proverbs 8, the writer talks about Lady Wisdom and how we should live:

Right in the city square where the traffic is thickest, she shouts, “You—I’m talking to all of you, everyone out here on the streets! Listen, you idiots—learn good sense! You blockheads—shape up! Don’t miss a word of this—I’m telling you how to live well, I’m telling you how to live at your best. My mouth chews and savors and relishes truth—I can’t stand the taste of evil! You’ll only hear true and right words from my mouth; not one syllable will be twisted or skewed. You’ll recognize this as true—you with open minds; truth-ready minds will see it at once. Prefer my life-disciplines over chasing after money, and God-knowledge over a lucrative career. For Wisdom is better than all the trappings of wealth; nothing you could wish for holds a candle to her. (vs. 1-11 MSG)

Seems that King Solomon—one of the wisest men in all history—considered wisdom as our greatest commodity, the attribute that helps us truly live well. And according to him, wisdom comes when we have a “truth-ready” open mind ready to receive “God-knowledge.”

Are you ready for the truth?

(Photo courtesy of FreeDigitalPhotos.net and imagerymajestic.)

Where Does the Buck Stop?

 By Andrea Merrell

 

Within your heart you can make plans for your future,

but the Lord chooses the steps you take to get there.

Proverbs 16:9 TPT

 

We’ve all heard it. Most of us have probably said it. President Harry S. Truman even had a sign on his desk: The Buck Stops Here!

Passing the buck—or passing the responsibility on to someone else—is all too familiar in this day and time in which we live. Stepping up to the plate, so to speak, and taking responsibility for our own actions has become a thing of the past.

 

Someone once said that opinions are like armpits—everyone has one. But how do we form our opinions? Do we listen to those who love to gossip and sling dirt? Do we watch the news 24/7? Are we influenced mostly by social media?

 

The truth is we can form our own opinions and plan our own course, but the Lord is the only One who can establish our steps. He is the omniscient one, the one who knows all things. He knows the end from the beginning and everything in between. And He is the only truth we can bank on.

 

What it boils down to is this: Unless our thoughts, opinions, and words line up with God’s they don’t matter in the grand scheme of things. Only what God says matters.

 

If you’re floundering today, spend time with God. Go to His Word. That’s where the buck stops. Period.

 

(Photo courtesy of FreeDigitalPhotos.net and fantasista.)

 

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If you’re floundering today, spend time with God. Go to His Word. That’s where the buck stops. Period. via @AndreaMerrell (Click to tweet.)

 

 

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When the Truth Hurts

By Andrea Merrell

 And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.

John 8:32 NLT

“You’re still carrying an offense.”

The words, spoken in love and not with criticism or accusation, hit a nerve—a raw one. My heated reaction revealed the truth of the statement. “I am not!”

My reaction was followed by a bucketful of tears and an afternoon of getting things right with the Lord. After a time of prayer and honest, let’s-get-real soul-searching, my heart was clean and the offense gone.

They say the truth hurts. I’ve found that to be true on many occasions. But what I’ve also discovered is when we choose to ignore it instead of facing it head-on, things only get worse. Jesus Himself said the truth would set us free. The Passion translation puts it this way:  For if you embrace the truth, it will release more freedom into your lives.

In my mind, I had forgiven. But in my heart, I still carried the offense. Left unattended to fester, it would have turned into a root of bitterness. It hurt to face the truth, but that’s what it took to set me free.

If you want to release more freedom into your life, don’t be afraid to embrace the Truth of God’s Word. His Truth will transform your life.

(Photo courtesy of Blogpiks.com and Stuart Miles.)

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If you want to release more freedom into your life, don’t be afraid to embrace the Truth of God’s Word. His Truth will transform your life. via @AndreaMerrell (Click to tweet.)

Dealing With Shades of Gray

By Andrea Merrell

Trust in the Lord with all your heart,

And lean not on your own understanding;

In all your ways acknowledge Him,

And He shall direct your paths.

Proverbs 3:5-6 NKJV

I’m basically a black and white person, a proponent of the truth. I hate lies and pretense. My natural tendency is to avoid the gray areas as much as possible.

But is it really possible?

The absolute truth—as I have learned—is that not everything is either black or white. Life is full of gray areas that cannot be understood or explained. That’s precisely why we have to place our faith and complete trust in the Lord.

As Christians, the Bible is our ultimate source of truth, our guidebook for living. But even Scripture does not lay out all the answers to our questions in a neat little row. For me, this can be a bit disconcerting.

I’m the type of person who needs answers. I like to be prepared for any given situation, to know what’s going to happen. But God doesn’t work that way. He shows us what we need to know when we need to know it. He purposely keeps some answers out of our reach so we’ll seek Him and follow His lead.

Learning to be flexible and content to not know all the answers is hard, but doable. It's best to take one day at a time and accept the gray areas. When life throws us a curve, we can move on to Plan B. 

Unanswered questions are okay. Life is full of them, and we breathe easier and sleep better at night when we embrace that fact. The key is in trusting God with all our heart and making the most of each and every day … no matter what comes our way.

(Photo courtesy of FreeDigitalPhotos.net/gubgib/Stuart Miles.)

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Too Many Choices

I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life.

Deuteronomy 30:19

“Let’s see, what pharmacy shall I visit today—Walgreens, CVS, Rite Aid, or Walmart?” In my small hometown, these four businesses sit in a tidy little row within the same block. Makes no sense to me, but that’s what competition is all about.

In this corner of the Bible Belt, just like the pharmacies, there seems to be a church on every corner. You can try them on for size and, if you don’t like the music, doctrine, or décor, you simply move on to the next. These days, “shop ‘til you drop” applies to more than just the mall. Some people call it church-hopping.  People jump from one place to another looking for an emotional high, a handout, or a platform. These individuals usually shy away from both instruction and commitment.

We have become a society with a buffet mentality.  We want a wide variety from which to choose, taking only what we like and ignoring or discarding what we don’t. That mentality can choke the life out of our spiritual growth if we’re not careful. When we accept only the words from the pastor that make us feel good, read selected Bible passages that promise blessings, and give only when we feel like it, we are surely missing the boat.

We are free moral agents. God created us with a mind and will of our own. We have been given the power and authority to choose. But here’s the rub: we have more freedom and experience a more fulfilled life when we surrender our will to Him.

Choices are inevitable. They’re a part of life. Secular humanism tells us there are no absolutes, but the Bible is full of absolutes. Jesus said it best in John 14:6: I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. God’s Word is truth. It is forever settled in heaven—every Word—cover-to-cover. You can count on it.

 (Photos courtesy of Bob Bell and freeimages.com.)

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Having trouble making choices? The Bible says to "choose life." via @AndreaMerrell (Click to Tweet.)