Ants and our Thoughts

Right now I am sitting up at the lobby in the Inn near our cottage in the mountains. And I forgot my reading glasses, so if this blog is filled with typos, blame it on my eyesight! We arrived late last night, racing all our stuff inside just barely in time to beat the raging thunderstorm. As I unloaded the groceries, I noticed we had quite a few tiny squatters in the kitchen who had already staked out their claim to the kitchen. Okay, I'm trying to be positive--they were teensy ants and there were tons and tons of them! Yuck! I was squishing and spraying and smashing to beat the band, but they just kept coming. The war continued unabated today, and I can't decide if it's worse to have ants in our food or pesticide permeating everything. Life is full of dilemmas.

But I have to hand it to those ants, they are such resourceful, persevering little creatures. No matter how hard you hit 'em, they just keep coming back. Since I don't have my glasses on, I can't look up the exact verse, but I love the passage in Proverbs that urges us to "Go to the ant, O sluggard, see how she works all day..." (or something to that effect!). God can teach us through all of creation--even the lowly little ant. When I'm tempted to give in to the "slough of despond" or just go with the flow and put my feet up, I think of that industrious little creature working away, finding it's way to the smallest crumb of food, undeterred by any obstacle (or pesticide or slapping hand). Help us not to quit, Lord!

I also thought about how our thoughts can multiply like those pesky, determined ants. I have been reading a book recently about the power of our thought life, and I've been so convicted how frequently our thoughts can sabotage God's best for us. Just a few short quotes: "Our defeat or victory begins with what we think; and if we guard our thoughts, we shall not have much trouble anywhere else along that line." Vance Havner "All things be ready if our thoughts be so." Shakespeare "The mind is it's own place and in itself can make a heaven of hell; a hell of heaven." John Milton

You know, it's really true, what you think about determines what you become. Thoughts ultimately and always begat actions. And we can choose our thoughts. I tend to forget that! I tend to just let thoughts flow into my mind during the course of the day, and I can start to dwell on those thoughts which are negative and discouraging and worrisome. Isn't that a woman's prerogative?! But when we focus on the faults of our children or the shortcomings of our spouse or the unfairness of some situation or the fearful unknowns facing us, we become critical or ungrateful or bitter or anxious. But God has told us He has not given us such a spirit! He has given us "a spirit of power, of love, and of a sound mind."

His Holy Spirit is within us as believers, and do we not believe that He is capable of handling any crises or challenge facing us or those that we love? Perhaps we need to tell ourselves a hundred times a day "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." Phil. 4:13 We all know that verse, but yet we choose to dwell not upon our all-sufficient Lord but upon our insufficient selves. It is true--I can do nothing. But He can do ALL. I cannot handle the pressures and pains of this life. But He can triumph over any and every enemy so that no matter how hapless or hopeless the situation, He brings ultimate good and glory out of it.

But it starts with our thinking. Will we choose to focus, to dwell upon Him and His Word or will we continue to contemplate our grievances and worries and inabilities? Will we ask Him to direct and inform our thoughts or will we just allow our thoughts to meander along with our fallible feelings and emotions? Like those tiny ants, our thoughts will multiply. The question is, what thoughts are multiplying? We have the choice--the mind of Christ or the mind of fallen man. Help us to choose to Christ, to choose life, to choose the fruits of the Spirit that accompany a mind preoccupied with Christ--joy, peace, patience, gentleness... The choice is ours--each day, each hour. About what are you thinking? Choose Christ and to Him be the glory.