There is a crowd in one’s mind;
It takes a lot of oxygen to survive.
It drains the mind like a battery
drains its power supply.
A Crowded Mind leaves the body deficient and
anemic of hope and colorless of joy.
It scans the soul like an MRI with contrast.
Telling the story of an old broken down
machine.
Not a physician in the land has
the balm it takes to restart the old machine.
So it creeks, sputters, and makes
a non-knowing sound that irks the ears of
all that has to hear its clatter.
The Heart begins to whisper to the Crowded Mind;
Is there not a great physician in the land?
The image of quill and scroll and a very old man;
shows a shaken hand and very clear mind;
appears in the old crowded head.
Prophet he was; and still is,
Jeremiah, they called him by name;
From his aching heart asked?
Isn’t there any healing balm for this mind?
Isn’t there a Doctor to be had?
Why aren’t the hearts of God’s people healed?
So the Crowded Heads can think for themselves?
Then the old Crowded Mind takes a trip down
the path from where it made a skid.
Saying, God’s people had been my people
But the heart-head build an idol of self;
by purchasing much and using
all the coins it had to crowd the head.
Crowded Mind I had, pain I had, trouble I had!
Had it all except healing salve for my old rusty mind.
One that strayed from the path called Straight.
A man named Paul appears in my mind;
Reminding me to take the next right on
The street called Straight!
Straight the road but narrow was the gate;
I made the turn and right through the gate.
I hear a welcome voice that said, “I am the gate;â€
And you have left outside the thieves and robbers
That had crowded your mind!
Sara©9/6/2011
Bible References:
Jeremiah 8:22
Matthew 7:13,14
Acts 19:11
thedailylily.com 
Yay, Sara. You have written a new Psalm for our times; for our era; for the generation of “the crowded mind. ‘He has shown you man, you mortal being, what is good” To love mercy, to show kindness and to walk humbly with your God.” (Micah)
There is a Balm in Gilead…the healing salve for a crowded mind.
“A crowded mind leaves the body deficient and anemic of hope and colorless of joy.”
“Not a physician in the land has the balm it takes to restart the old machine.”
As I read this blog, I began to think of how the Bible tells that Jesus would go away to a solitude place to pray, often. Hum….the Bible also says that you will be in perfect peace, if your mind is stayed on Thee (paraphrased) ref. Isaiah 26:3. What better way to keep our minds uncrowded, then to spend time, alone talking to God…..often?
This is terrific. No one but the Master, Jesus can heal the crowded mind – throwing out the money changers of the mind that rob the person of the true value they are in Jesus Christ.
The old saying, “two’s a pair, three’s a crowd” does not work. For if our minds were crowded with THE FATHER, THE SON AND THE HOLY SPIRIT, All three in One, that kind of “Crowd” will help heal and cast out the idolatrous, ever-present, overbearing, ” Thought-thieving , Peace-robbing SELF, SELF, SELF.
Great thoughts, Lilies….No room for the thieves with this kind of thinking!
Such a soul-searching poem with lots of layers for study and thought.
One thought on “And you have left outside the thieves and robbers”. Seems if there are thieves in robbers in our minds, which are a part of us, then they have got to go or we will be left outside the gates of heaven. And in reading about rust and thieves in Matt 6:19-21, it looks that if we are filling our minds and lives with treasures of heaven rather than treasures of earth, we won’t have this rusty mind or thief magnet.
“Don’t store up treasures here on earth, where moths eat them and rust destroys them, and where thieves break in and steal. Store your treasures in heaven, where moths and rust cannot destroy, and thieves do not break in and steal. Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be.”
Some responses to Sara’s psalm:
” Oh wretched one that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death..”.this old broken down machine” of a mind/body addicted to the ‘world’…the surfeiting, the drugs, the alcohol, the incessant shopping, the seeking after acclaim the mirror-gazing, until the mind is darkened, dank and DANGEROUS to the spirit.”
“Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord!” He can and He will (IF I DESIRE HIM TO AND IF I ALLOW HIM TO. So then, on the one hand I myself with my mind am serving the law of God, but on the other, with my flesh the law of sin.”_Romans 7:25
I meant to include in the list above of worldly addictions, the workaholic. This is just conjecture on my part but PERHAPS the workaholic mind, as they age, begin to feel that they are “losing it” because of aging issues and strive to work even more and even harder; PERHAPS, losing themselves in their work (literally) hoping no one including themselves will notice the diminishing of strength and prowess in the work place(s). They might fight and reject the encouragement of a sabbath rest in some areas of their assignments and work schedules.
I do not mean this pertains to every single person who is work oriented. WORK is good if you WORK it correctly….as the Bible teaches moderation in all things.
To work so hard that one is too exhausted to assemble oneself with the congregation of the Lord or to execute our Spiritual Duties with and for the Lord is WORKING TOO HARD. It is an addiction.
My devotion, this morning says: “Don’t conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is–his good, pleasing and perfect will.” (Romans 12:2) The New Living Translation reads like this: “Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.”
A crowded mind, doesn’t have room for God to renew it, does it?
“A crowded mind, doesn’t have room for God to renew it, does it?” Whoa! Now, that is some truth, isn’t it? This must be the reason we use and hear cliche’ after cliche’ when any and everything happens.
Maybe, at times we as Christians live and speaks lies all day long. Because we heard something that sounds good to our ears so we add it to our feel good feelings and thoughts. Our mind is crowded with these fables, (dictionary: a false statement or belief). Then, something happens we know to be sin or against moral standards instead of letting it speak for itself we might let a coined cliche’ squeak out of our crowded cobweb mind and say, ‘well it it God’s will. It was God’s will. I am so blessed God did this.” What about saying, it is just a lousy choice, I made?
I don’t know about you, but when I try to think about God willing starving children, sick women, men and children all over the world, including my nation I have a little room left in my mind to think, really? When one, including myself walks out and uses my free will/choice to do what I believe to be wrong and the results are just what I knew could/would be and I call it God’s Blessing, I wonder, is it? The list is non ending yet mouth goes “God’s Will.”
As Needle writes, “A crowded mind, doesn’t have room for God to renew it, does it?” Nope, don’t think so. So it rotates lies, fables, Bible Scriptures, desires, and fans the flame of lust to get is selfish way and calls it God’s way.
Bragging About Tomorrow (James 4:13) NIREADERS)
Now listen, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city. We will spend a year there. We will buy and sell and make money. You don’t even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? It is a mist that appears for a little while. Then it disappears. Instead, you should say, “If it pleases the Lord, we will live and do this or that.” As it is, you are proud. You brag about it. That kind of bragging is evil. So when you know the good things you should do and don’t do them, you sin.”
James tells us we KNOW the GOOD things we should and when we don’t do them we sin. We have gone off on our own tangent and without the guidance of the Holy Spirit and then, as Sara says, when things turn out badly for us we say….” it was God’s will,”
Although I am not a mechanic I know you have to change the oil in your vehicle if you want it to run right, otherwise that dirty oil ‘gums up’ the engine. I think lies, justifying wrong behaviors and sin and allowing our minds to be filled with lazy, trivial pursuits and other thoughts that aren’t consistent with God’s word and His holiness gums up the mind. Others can clearly see then that there hasn’t been any room for the Savior of the world in the ‘Inn’ of our minds.
I Peter1:13 says “gird up the loins of our minds’. I looked it up in the Message version and this is what it said: “So roll up your sleeves, put your mind in gear, be totally ready to receive the gift that’s coming when Jesus arrives. Don’t lazily slip back into those old grooves of evil, doing just what you feel like doing. You didn’t know any better then; you do now. As obedient children, let yourselves be pulled into a way of life shaped by God’s life, a life energetic and blazing with holiness. God said, “I am holy; you be holy.”
You call out to God for help and he helps—he’s a good Father that way. But don’t forget, he’s also a responsible Father, and won’t let you get by with sloppy living.” (vs 13-17)
Scripture Debi gives us sounds like a maintenance program for the mind. Seems like an extended warranty thrown in.
MG, has referred to our blog as a Psalm. When I think of Psalm, I think of a religious song. And, when I think of religious song, I think of worship, praise and prayer. When I think of the Prophet, Jeremiah, and the Apostle Paul, I think they embody all three, worship, praise and prayer.
Therefore, I pray:
Heavenly Father, thank You for another day to worship You in spirit and truth. I pray I will become more like You. I surrender my mind, heart, will and all emotions to You. I choose to ______________. (name your game) Have Your way in me and teach me to pray in such a manner as to achieve:______________. In The Holy Name of Jesus, I pray.
Bring to Remembrance: The prayers of a righteous person is very powerful!
Heavenly Father, “I choose to” allow You to renew my mind. “Have Your way in me and teach me to pray in such a manner as to achieve:” the goals or plans that You have set for me. “In the Holy Name of Jesus, I pray.”
I pray with, Needles.
Amen and amen. I believe God will answer our prayer. “Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much. “The fervent prayer of a righteous one avails much.” (James 5:16)
And when much has availed us, let us give the honor and the glory to God and God alone. He will take care of our kudos and honors by His heavenly justice.
I pray with Needles as well.
I choose to treat others with love and respect. Have Your way in me and teach me to pray in such a manner as to achieve healing, health and joy for those to whom I make my prayers for.
I choose to daily make the decision to live righteously each and every day.
“Crowded Mind I had, pain I had, trouble I had!
Had it all except healing salve for my old rusty mind.
One that strayed from the path called Straight.
A man named Paul appears in my mind;”
This man Paul sure knew how to tell stories without exaggerations. His stories have been the direct result of many conversions. When truth is told exaggerations are not needed. Read the story of Paul, THE ROAD TO DAMASCUS… http://www.ewtn.com/library/MARY/ROADDAMA.HTM
What a transformation that resulted from Saul’s encounter with Jesus. To me this story speaks also of the importance of the different persons’ timely obedience to Jesus that became the weaving for the Lord to bring that healing salve to Paul.
My question from our learnings on this blog is; ‘how does blind and mind relate?’ In Fulton Oursler’s story on Paul he writes; “Saul was blind!” He was looking forward to food for the stomach, new sheets for his bed and all the comforts for the body. “Saul, covered with dust, his throat dry, was anticipating the good dinner and the sweet night’s repose he knew he could expect at the principal inn under the roofed bazaar of the “Street That Is Called Straight.”
“The border of the town was not more than half a mile away when Saul suddenly swayed in his saddle.
Everything he could see and hear and feel all around him underwent a change. There was a chill wind blowing at him, a blinding light shining on him from the heavens, and the roar of great waters in his ears.”
Brain and Eyes…What a connection that binds the soul to the heart like Elmers glue to sparkles and paper.
“In making our decisions, we must use the brains that God has given us. But we must also use our hearts, which He also gave us.”
– Fulton Oursler
“how does blind and mind relate?’
If the mind receives and processes images that come through the natural eye, perhaps there is so much ‘uncensored’ viewing that we are virtually blind to the things of God’s Spirit…that could be part of the crowded mind in the poem.
Jesus said, “You say, ‘I am rich. I have everything I want. I don’t need a thing!’ And you don’t realize that you are wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked.” Rev 3:17 NLT
The mind thinks it’s ok when it’s not.
There’s a ‘lust of the eyes and the pride of life’ that can blind us (I John 2:15 NKJ) which would make us insensitive to the things of the Spirit.
“Your eyes are windows into your body. If you open your eyes wide in wonder and belief, your body fills up with light. If you live squinty-eyed in greed and distrust, your body is a dank cellar. If you pull the blinds on your windows, what a dark life you will have!” Matt 6:22-23 Message
Very interesting, Debi… sounds like ‘paranoid’; NOAD says; paranoiac, suspicious, mistrustful, fearful, insecure.
When I read the stories from The Bible it seems they are all placed in public arenas. Paul and Jeremiah the ones we speak of here sure had a public arena.
At night when the streets are brilliantly lite it seems fun, joyful and happy. But, when one drives down a street with no lights it says, watch carefully and run. Because there could be trouble lurking in the dark night.
Light and lighting makes the eye-brain cycle turn in a different direction than dark and dim. Hey, now this is just my understanding from Peterson’s Message from Matt 6, Debi quoted above.
Good study, thanks for all the interacting. Keeps the lights turned up bright!
A very favorite of mine on light and lighting for artistic is Matthew 5:16. Don’t forget vs 11…
“Light and lighting makes the eye-brain cycle turn in a different direction than dark and dim”. I think if I am understanding from reading Sara’s favorite Matt 5:16 and 11 and thinking about the relationship between ‘blind and mind’ that our good works can act on the “eye-brain cycle” of another who may be driving down that dark street. The good works of Matt 5:16 light up like street lights and physically and spiritually effect the mind and alter the blindness so they can “glorify your father in heaven.” Not letting our lights shine leaves others in the dark.
I read where Tibetan monks had meditated so effectively that their prefrontal brain lobes lit up on MRI scans. They had peace, tranquility, compassion and kindness, wisdom and patience.
King David’s wisdom penetrates deep into all-including guide to meditation as well as many others we read about in the Holy Writ…. –Joshua 1:8 says, “This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.”
Psalm 1:2 “But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night.”
Genesis 24:63 “Isaac went out to meditate…”
We could go on and on with Biblical meditations. I am a believer that when we meditate effectively we have a glow/light. We have a steady eye-brain cycle that sees, hears and lives success.
Debi, I think we are getting it…blind and mind or sight (light) and mind!
Let’s remember Paul- Saul was blind! But, his brain lite up and sight was restored.
Blind and Mind. in Eziekel God told him, “”Son of man, you are living among a rebellious people. They have eyes to see but do not see and ears to hear but do not hear, for they are a rebellious people.”
In another place Jeremiah is told by the Lord, “Hear this, you foolish and senseless people, who have eyes but do not see, who have ears but do not hear”.
Jesus said in Matthew 13:13,…”This is why I speak to them this way. They see, but they’re BLIND! They hear, but they don’t listen. They don’t even try to understand.”
Along with what has been blogged above, we understand that Blindness of the soul (which is the intellect, the emotions and the will operating through the physical instrument of the brain) seems to be a matter of disobedience, unbelief and rebellion.
When we give lip service to the Word of God but don’t apply it to our lives we are BLIND. When we sit in our righteous pews but our hearts are somewhere else, we are BLIND. If we really believe what the Word of God says we would pray, seek His face and do what the Spirit of the Living God instructs us to do. BUT WE ARE BLIND and deafened to the voice of the Holy Spirit.
Jesus told Thomas, ” you believe because you saw ME with your physical eyes. But Blessed are those who have not Seen Me with their physical eyes and yet believe”….for they have seen with their spiritual eyes. And their brain concedes that HE IS TRULY RISEN and HE IS GOD.
Paul writes in Romans 2:4…”or are you so BLIND as to trifle with and PRESUME upon and despise and underestimate the wealth of His kindness and patience? Are you so ‘brainless’ unmindful, ignorant of the fact that the goodness of God is intended to bring you to repentance..that is CHANGE YOUR MIND (brain knowledge) and inner man (soul) to accept God’s will?
From this I learn that Paul is saying that those who are ‘blind’ are mindless, unmindful, and therefore ignorant of the grace of God or vice versa.
Paul goes on to say it is because of stubbornness and callousness..and God’s wrath will be upon those who blindly ignore, refuse to SEE with their souls and spirits what a GOOD GOD has done for man.
Paul really was a forthright teacher, wasn’t he? He knew what it was like to be blind and go about doing just what he felt like doing. From reading about Paul it seems he was a warring dude. He also knew what it was like to be sighted and having a mind change. Wonder how Paul felt when he saw the light of radical change? Seems like it took him years to learn or unlearn and to live and relive. His teachings even today after hundreds of years can still draw blood figuratively from his learners.
MG quoted Romans 2:4 above and I use NCV part B here; “…Perhaps you do not understand that God is kind to you so you will change your hearts and lives.” God is long-suffering and wants to motivate us to change. He is kind to walk us through change. Send others in our lives to help us see so we can change. Yes, God is good. Paul’s question still remains, ‘where is my good?’
“When he had thus spoken, he spat on the ground, and made clay of the spittle, and he anointed the eyes of the blind man with the clay, And said unto him, Go, wash in the pool of Siloam, (which is by interpretation, Sent.) He went his way therefore, and washed, and came seeing.”
– John 9:6-7
In the hymn AMAZING GRACE by John Newton we get a personal ‘story” in song of John Newton’s bout with “blindness” as he testifies to it in this beloved hymn of the church that tells, “EVERYMANS’ STORY” before and after they meet the Lord Jesus Christ.
Newton says in his song that Jesus saved “a wretch like me”;
He goes on..I once was BLIND but now I See. It wasn’t physical eyesight that caused his blindness but the darkened mind and soul that caused the blindness. It was his wretchedness; that is: one sunk in vice or degradation; a base, despicable person; a vile knave; as, a profligate wretch;deplorably unfortunate or unhappy person;a miserable, unhappy creature__(online def.)
That is what spiritual blindness does to a soul. God is very specific about spiritual blindness. Paul talks about how this spiritual blindness incurs the wrath of God that is even now in 2011 being poured out because of this blindness.
Romans. 1:18 The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of people, who suppress the truth by their wickedness, since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse.”
They have become blind because they refuse to acknowledge God as Creator and worship Him for Who He is. They are left to do every despicable thing in the universe to one another and to themselves, abusive and degrading and they are blind.
John Newton had it pegged correctly when he confessed that Grace and obedience are the only ways to clear away spiritual blindness. He WAS BLIND, but now I SEE!
Sara you said, “when we meditate effectively we have a glow/light. We have a steady eye-brain cycle that sees, hears and lives success.” This is exciting because it is true transformation. Like when you said Paul’s brain lit up and he was restored.
Meditating effectively on God’s word must be very powerful…power so that steady light fuels our brains …even John emphasized the mighty power of the word … “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” (John 1:1) “In Him was life, and the life was the light of men.” (vs 4)
I have heard of ‘light therapy’ affecting brain chemicals but this is light therapy for Life.
Light therapy; I read, that light therapy does affect the brain and brainwaves. ” IT uses full spectrum light. Generally, Electro-magnetic (FULL) Spectrum LIGHT is classified by wavelength into radio wave, microwave, infrared, the VISIBLE REGION WE PERCEIVE AS LIGHT ultraviolet, X-rays and gamma rays. The behavior of Electro-Magnetic Light radiation depends on its wavelength. When EM radiation interacts ……its behaviour also depends on the amount of energy it carries. THE LIMIT FOR LONG WAVELENGTH IS THE SIZE OF THE UNIVERSE, is infinite and continuous.”__(Free Encyclopedia)
This made me think of the Word of God as we read it and look for the ENLIGHTENMENT of what God is saying in His WORD. As it says above, the Light AS WE PERCEIVE It, as in Full Spectrum light, is just a small part of what the WORD really is saying to us. There is so much more enlightenment contained therein; so many more revelations, more mysteries uncovered, more layers to be discovered of the Word of God. The Word of God is Infra-red Light; It’s Radio Wave frequency; it’s microwave frequency; it’s infinite and continuous and it’s wavelength is the size of the universe. And in Reading and studying the Word, we Can receive great enlightenment and it will affect our brain chemicals for the good.
I love this story: Blind Bartimaeus Receives His Sight— Mark 10:46-52 “Then they came to Jericho. As Jesus and his disciples, together with a large crowd, were leaving the city, a blind man, Bartimaeus (that is, the Son of Timaeus), was sitting by the roadside begging. When he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to shout, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” Many rebuked him and told him to be quiet, but he shouted all the more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!” Jesus stopped and said, “Call him.” So they called to the blind man, “Cheer up! On your feet! He’s calling you.” Throwing his cloak aside, he jumped to his feet and came to Jesus. “What do you want me to do for you?” Jesus asked him. The blind man said, “Rabbi, I want to see.” “Go,” said Jesus, “your faith has healed you.” Immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus along the road.”
This story gives me a clear picture of ‘mind and blind.’ 1)Bartimaeus didn’t sit and wait he did something and it was bold and dramatic. He used his mind to move his sight 2( Hey, he didn’t really care about the reactions of others-many told him to be quiet, he yelled louder 3) When asked what he wanted he didn’t go on about what he didn’t know or want, he boldly told Jesus what he wanted 4) he took his sight by faith when told to take his sight and go he did…he followed The Gate.
As Debi said, light therapy it is….
Great clear picture and comments. Bartimaeus sounds as clear and forthright in his appeal as you said Paul was in his teaching, Sara. Maybe that clarity of word and will factored into his clarity of vision…more ‘eye-brain’ cycling in action.
“Maybe…clarity of word… will factored into his clarity of vision…” Sure hope if it is needed. But, I think Bartimaeus knew what he wanted and when asked he stated it clearly. I think his story so interesting. He could of asked for more coins to sound in his tin can. Or, made a complaint about others that didn’t treat him right, etc. etc. He could of blamed his parents or anybody for being blind. But, he didn’t! He said, Teacher, I want to see! And with that clear precise statement, he saw!
“The Heart begins to whisper to the Crowded Mind;
Is there not a great physician in the land?
The image of quill and scroll and a very old man;
shows a shaken hand and very clear mind;
appears in the old crowded head.”
To overcome the crowded mind we must realize we don’t sit and wait for ideal situation to come. They will never come! Bartimaeu sounded his mouth alarm loud and clear. “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!†Many rebuked him and told him to be quiet, but he shouted all the more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!â€
He must have known Jeremiah because…”The image of quill and scroll and a very old man; shows a shaken hand and very clear mind;
appears in the old crowded head.” And, the mouth trumpet sounded, ‘have mercy on me.” B. sure was timely, for there was..” a physician in the land with
the balm it takes to restart the old machine…”
Being oneself seems like a major player here. Finding our ‘faith DNA’ and having it identified at the right time and place plays the fiddle for the dance. We show at least 3 stories of three blind mind; Bartimaeus, Paul and the unidentified man with clay and spittle. All found sight in three different ways. All had the same dominate factor of faith working of the finding of oneself and expressing it.
Faith to me says, “believe you can change with God’s help…..
The stories here of Bartimaeus, Paul, and the unidentified man gives us so much hope. I’d like to share my devotion today, in fact, the title is “Overflowing Hope”. (My precious friend, Sara gave me this devotion book.) The devotion comes from Romans 15:13. “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” Notice it says…..”as you trust in him.” I think we have three men here, in the Bible, whom certainly trusted Jesus. We must trust Him too.
When I see the word trust I connect to obey. Would it not stand to reason if you obey God’s word trust would be the seam that holds the skin on the bone.
As I meditate on above scripture from Romans, I quiet my soul thinking on The God of Hope filling me with Hope overflowing. Overflowing Hope is as beautiful as a budding rose rising in my heart to ignite the passion of love.
(Once-blind) Bartimeaus must have had a lot of faith, for faith is the substance of things Hoped for the evidence of thngs NOT SEEN i.e.(blinded to it in the physical realm). But when he saw it in the Spirit and called it forth in the Spirit, he got to SEE it.
Following MG’s comment referring to this scripture I believe found in Hebrews 11:1 NLT: “Faith is the confidence that what we hope for will actually happen; it gives us assurance about things we cannot see.”
Wonder if passion is the sight that brings it forth in the Spirit?
I would say yes to your question, Sara.
It would seem to me that if there was no passion or fire burning inside to ignite, then there would be no motivation to action and our sight and senses would be dull. No heat, just luke warm. No singleness of purpose, probably double-mindedness. James 1:6,7 says we won’t get anything from the Lord in this frame of mind or heart.
We are exhorted to keep a passion in our hearts and desires.
“Don’t burn out; keep yourselves fueled and aflame.” Romans 12:11 Message
Jesus showed a lot of passion about God’s house and what goes on there as exhibited by the action he took and the results he got. “Passion for God’s house will consume me.†John 2:17
“There is a crowd in one’s mind;
It takes a lot of oxygen to survive.
It drains the mind like a battery
drains its power supply.”
I believe one of the main mind crowded unnecessary items is unforgivingness. Working on the art of forgiveness, if necessary, may energize us.
Sometimes we have to work to find what is truth, integrity and realize how invaluable truth is. When we get in touch with truth we expel illusions and find peace. We gain and not drain our energy.
O, look what I read on FB today. “Holding a Grudge Is Letting Someone Live Rent-Free In Your Head!”
That sure illustrates and confirms what you are saying about the crowd.
Grudge-a persistent feeling of ill will or resentment resulting from a past insult or injury…Hum, wonder why someone would feel to hold on to a grudge? Maybe they feel empowered because they have a feeling? Or, justified?
Yes, maybe that’s why they hold a grudge. My mother used to have an expression she used for someone holding one and she seemed able to spot them easily by their angry, sullen or pouting behavior…”She/he must be “nursing a grudge”. Sounds like they feel compelled to take care of it so it won’t die. Maybe they need the feeling of self-importance they get from this caretaking a grudge.