I’m a thinker. Maybe even an over-thinker. And this can cause a seemingly endless train of disjointed thoughts that require a good deal of stitching to make coherent.
I remember being a young child lying awake at night, long after my parents had gone to bed. My brain would continue generating pictures, ideas, and conversations until I was finally exhausted enough to fall asleep. It got worse when I learned to read, because books opened up a whole new world for my already very active imagination.
This still happens. Every. Single. Night.
The advantage is that it gives me uninterrupted time to think things through in great detail. The disadvantage is that it gives me uninterrupted time to think things through in great detail. Some of you know exactly what I’m talking about.
This is also prime time for the enemy – aka Satan, the devil, the father of lies, the deceiver, etc – to do his thing. He uses his opportunities wisely and likes to get his dirty work done when I am at my most vulnerable. He’s particularly fond of reminding me about things I’ve done or said in the past, things I’ve already left at the Cross and received God’s forgiveness for.
Here’s where I get to make a choice.
Do I listen to the sleeze-ball and allow him to circle the wagons around my head; wagons that are filled with garbage from years gone by? Or, do I tell him to take a hike and leave me alone?
Seems like a pretty logical decision, right?
But there is the thinking things through business. Old Lucifer wants to make sure I really understand the gravity of my sin, so he continues the torment. And this is after he’s made an unsuccessful attempt to talk me into doing/saying/thinking something that will throw me right back into his lap. By this time, the digital clock says it’s 1:32 am. I’m tired. Tired of the junk. Tired of fighting. Tired of resisting.
Then Jesus speaks.
“Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.” Matthew 11:28 (NLT)
Ah, yes, how could I have forgotten! Jesus will take care of it for me and I can go to sleep, knowing He has already done the thinking things through on my behalf.
For My thoughts are not your thoughts,
Nor are your ways My ways,” says the Lord.
“For as the heavens are higher than the earth,
So are My ways higher than your ways,
And My thoughts than your thoughts. Isaiah 55:8-9 (NKJV)
How awesome is that!
Inside the Writer 