stirring our affections

Jun 5

If someone were to ask what you are most passionate about, how would you answer?

Would it be a hobby, a sport, cooking, shopping, your job, your spouse or children? How I choose to answer this reveals much about my heart. It can be very easy in this world for these “good things” to begin to creep in and take the rightful place of Jesus.

Scripture is full of truths that bear witness to the power of our minds over our lives. In Romans 12:2 (ESV) we are told “Do not conform 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 and pleasing and perfect will.”

We are called to transform our mind, to actively take control and pursue Christ-likeness in our thinking.

There is No Real Harm in My Thoughts…Right?

I can easily view my thoughts as having no real consequences. I might think I can dwell on something for a brief while, without it having any real effect on me. Everyone has their struggles, but I would never “act” on it.

Luke 6:43-45 speaks otherwise “For no good tree bears bad fruit, nor again does a bad tree bear good fruit, for each tree is known by its own fruit. For figs are not gathered from thorn bushes, nor are grapes picked from a bramble bush. The good person out of the good treasure of his heart produces good, and the evil person out of his evil treasure produces evil, for out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks.”

Right here we are told that those thoughts are not innocent, not without consequence.

Not Seeing the Don’ts, but Rather the Do’s

We are all familiar with the Scripture found in Philippians 4:8-9 ”Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me—practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you”.

Sometimes, I find myself focusing only on the “don’ts” when it comes to my thoughts rather than the “dos”. Don’t dwell on that which will create envy, jealousy, impure thoughts, impure actions, anger etc…Paul flips this for us though. Rather than focusing on the negative, he encourages us to think on thoughts that stir our hearts towards Him.

Stirring Our Affections

Matt Chandler, the lead pastor at the Village Church in Flower Mound, Texas has great insight on this concept. He encourages careful attention to “what one is doing, what one is around, what one is reading, and what one is participating in that would build them up to know and follow after the Lord. As we become aware of what those things are, we submerse ourselves more fully in them.”

He also heeds Christians to be aware of what would be considered “morally neutral”, those things that are neither bad nor good, but have the potential to rob us of our affection for Christ.

What Does This Look Like?

What would that look like for you? What would change in your day?

Do you ever allowed Christ-centered music to cause you to spontaneously stop and praise Him for a certain working in your life or just for who He is?

Do you find reading certain books just seem to give birth to a deep overwhelming sense of gratitude for who He is and what He has done for you?

Do you find the placing of verse cards throughout your house or work seems to help steady and redirect your thoughts on Him and His purposes in the midst of the day to day weariness of disciplining of children, or taking care of other needs at home or the workplace?

Do you feel freedom come as you use the “sword of the Spirit” (Ephesians 6:17) to battle the attacks of the enemy? James 4:7 directs us “Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.”

Small, Yes, But Not Without Worth

These are all small areas that would may seem insignificant to an outsider.

We have found these “small acts” can create an atmosphere shift.

These little pursuits usher in conversations of how Jesus can and does work in our hard days. How He uses the gift of music to lift our heads and souls at times and provide comfort when the tears come and songs “take you back” to a very hard season or time in life. We share the victories of how dwelling on the truth of His word has led to breakthroughs in areas that we have wrestled.

But you know what? Even in all this intentional remembering, I still forget. I forget to turn on the music. In a scurry about our day, I breeze past the scripture cards in the kitchen and those hanging on the walls. I quickly glance outside and take for granted the beauty of the sunrise, not stopping long enough to stand in awe of our Creator. I rush right past the reminders and miss Him.

This is my challenge to myself, and maybe to some of you. That I would not allow my day to get so busy and so full that I neglect the gift of these reminders. The gift of how they stir us to know, love and worship Him. May He open our eyes to see more of these.

The Wise Men Saw and Then….

The story of the wise men from the east comes to mind. They came in search of the “one who has been born king of the Jews. For we saw his star at its rising and have come to worship him.”(Matthew 2:2)

“When they saw the star, they were overwhelmed with joy. Entering the house, they saw the child with Mary his mother, and falling to their knees, they worshiped Him.”(Matthew 2:10-11).

When the wise men saw Jesus, they worshiped Him. Right then, right there!

Their seeing immediately led to worship; “falling on their knees” kind of worship!

How often do I see Jesus, and yet fail to let that bring me to worship? How often do I experience Him minister to my soul and just flippantly reason it away? When do I see Him meet a real need or provide in a way that can only be “of Him” and not stop in thankfulness? How many times does He reveal a truth in His word and then I not praise Him for it?

Pondering and Pursuing

So I want to encourage you. Encourage you to ask and ponder “what stirs up my affections for Jesus”? When the answers come to mind, let’s take them to heart and pursue the implementation of them into our day. It would be easy to reason away their importance, but if we view each one as a spurring on to know Him more, then there is clear purpose and pursuit in them. These may be the “whatever is lovely, whatever is pure, the worthy of praise” mentioned in Philippians 4:8-9. May the Lord enable us to change our thinking and to experience the beauty of pursuing the “whatevers” in our day and life. Blessings!

References:

hillary stewart