Desiring the Best in this Life

 Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things. Php 4:8 

 The mind is a sea which never stops to stir. At one time it is calm and gentle like a breeze. But at another time it is like a gale blowing in the desert and scattering dust in the air. The mind never slumbers even when we are asleep, and one may wake up with a loud scream, or one may smile at the darkness while they fondle the air lovingly with their hands.

 The mind, it would seem, is a universe all of its own, and though we may have little control over it, but it is important to exercise control over our thoughts as failure to do this will impart negatively on all our relationships, as the proverb says: ‘He that hath no rule over his own spirit is like a city that is broken down, and without walls’ (Pro 25:28). 

 Our Selfish nature will always Impart on what We think and what We believe

But not all thoughts come to us uninvited. Some we deliberately invite them in our minds, as we listen to them, agree with them and even encourage them, as Cain famously did, and which resulted in the murder of his brother Abel.

Only Death to self can Break us from being Servants of our Thoughts

On our own it is nearly impossible to kill the love of our self. It is just not natural to our fallen nature. What is natural instead is to rebel and disobey against authority, whether it is from our parents, our elders or from God. Our thoughts usually exercise powerfully over our behaviors (and our egos), but it is often to our own destruction than salvation, as it is written, ‘There is none righteous, no, not one’ and, ‘For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not’ (Rom 7:18).  The world, by scripture’s testimony, is at the hands of the prince of darkness even at this time and which is the devil (Eph 2:2), and again: ‘The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it? (Jer 17:9).

 And so to die completely from self is purely the supernatural work of God, and it is from him alone we obtain ‘a new heart and a new mind’, and also the ‘power to become the sons of God’. And that process is nothing short of a ‘death’.

Meditation usually gives one a Peek into their Inner self and into the Workings of their own Thoughts

Our thoughts usually escalate where there is action, and especially of pleasure. It is at a crowded place where thoughts get provoked into excitement, and it is usually in such places too where jealousy gains a foothold, and anger and hate.

There may be much laughter and screams of pleasure in such a place, but these also take place under suppressed annoyances. This is especially so because it is very difficult to be truly oneself in a crowded place (hence hypocritical), and this in turn will only provoke self-loathing… and more of all sorts of sins!

But in meditation there is usually very little room for hypocrisy, as one is usually made acutely self-conscious (naked) of their own limitations, and even of their utter helplessness and need of help from a higher Being, hence the psalmist’s plea, ‘From the end of the earth will I cry unto thee, when my heart is overwhelmed: lead me to the rock that is higher than I’ (Psa 61:2).  And are you at such a place at present dear friend? It’s written, ‘Then they cried unto the LORD in their trouble, and he saved them out of their distresses.’ God is still faithful. Cry unto him and he will save you out of your trouble.

In meditation therefore one is able, in self-reflection and quiet, to observe the general trajectory of one’s thoughts and one’s life, and hence to begin changes or improvement to the same. The following prayer for example could only have been as a result of deep meditation: ‘Incline my heart unto thy testimonies, and not to covetousness’, and, ‘Turn away mine eyes from beholding vanity; and quicken thou me in thy way’ (Psa 119:36-37).  

Love heals Everything: and where Undesirable thoughts hold sway May we take Refuge in the Word of God

King Solomon wrote, ‘The name of the LORD is a strong tower: the righteous runneth into it, and is safe’, and the apostle Peter echoed the same in ‘And above all things have fervent charity among yourselves: for charity shall cover the multitude of sins.’ And moreover the apostle Paul himself weighed in with the same exhortation in his famous ode on love:

‘Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things…Charity never faileth’ (1Co 13:4-8a).  

And as God did not create us to remain in the same state in this life, let us strive towards perfection (as it is written, ‘Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect’). And so it is incumbent upon each one of us to desire such higher attributes, for only in doing so shall we be able to bring our own thoughts and lives under great control. And so may God humble us, and help us to desire only the best in this life, and which (as he has taught us), can only be found in our communion with him. Amen.