Yesterday’s focus for me was to listen well.  It seemed God was telling me that I am a doer.  That I do know.  However, the doing He wanted me to do is first–listening.  Little did I know how much of that listening had to do with listening to Him and His Holy Spirit’s voice within me.  It became very real this morning.  As I started my devotions reading again in Proverbs the ongoing theme seemed to be on controlling the thoughts that come into my mind.  Proverbs 23:7 says: “For as he thinks in his heart, so is he.” 23:12 says “Apply your mind to instruction and correction and your ears to words of knowledge.”

The thoughts that come into my mind are generated from my own self, The Holy Spirit or from Satan.  During my early mornings I am disciplined to listen carefully for God’s Spirit within me.  I start my day this way each and every day.  However, as I get into my day my own spirit is taking over planning the DOING I want done.  I simply take for granted that my DOING is pleasing to God at this point.  My weakness comes when I get tired later in the afternoon.  My mind and body begin to show my adrenaline tank is depleting.  It is then I become vulnerable to all kinds of wrong thinking such as:  “Give yourself a break–feel better by looking at some porn.  No one knows and it hurts no one.”  or  “You don’t need to work anymore on that–you are what your dad told you when you are younger anyway.”  “Yes, you’re going to make it to heaven, but doing this here now won’t hurt a thing.” And there are many more….

Unless I am listening well to The Holy Spirit within me, I will hear only these screaming messages.  These evil thoughts whether generated from me or planted by Satan are not what I want to respond to.  If I go back to the two verses in Proverbs I become just what they say–what I think it in my heart becomes me.  This morning God is showing me that the new creation He is making in me wants me listening and responding well to His Holy Spirit not just in the early mornings  but also later in the day when I am much more vulnerable to selfishness and Satan’s attacks.  We have all heard that our mind is the battlefield between Satan, our own selfishness and God’s Holy leading.  The still small voice of The Holy Spirit can be heard during this time if I do what God is wanting me to learn well–Listen before Doing.  So, very quickly I want to reach out to The Holy Spirit and if I need more strength than that I will reach out to my accountability partner.  God’s Strength is here for us.  It is our choice whether we reach out for it in our times of weakness.  I’m asking God to help this new creation to BELIEVE I am the masterpiece He says I am and start DOING what is pleasing to Him rather than to selfish me.