So many times lately I have flown off in a world all of my own. Lost in the what if’s, what could be and what might happen. Sometimes I’ve been paralyzed by a word, a thought, an image, a sound and I allow it to carry me off on the drumbeat of its tide. Only to realize too late that I’ve been carried way farther than I ever imagined I would go. I’ve been caught in the wave of wild imaginations again.

Have you ever been caught up in a world in which maybe you are a full-blown acting legend in your minds eye, the star of your very own sitcom, a Jeopardy winner extraordinaire, the latest musical singing sensation, or maybe just maybe the latest and greatest genius author and writer. Then you realize that sobering thought that leads you crashing to the floor in defeat, you’re caught up in your wild imaginations again.

What happens when your vain imaginations take a wrong turn?

While these are totally made-up lines to make my point, the truth is that we all at some point or another have wild imaginations even as grown ups.

When you are a child the wonderful world of imagination is a sacred place of adventure and fun. A place to get lost in the world of make-believe, a world free from fear, sadness and pain. Many times I took those imaginative trips in my childhood to escape the realities of the world of which I existed and where life was hard to bear and pain was a constant companion. Having lived through a traumatic childhood illness where real playtime was a no-no. Creative playtime was my ‘le moyen de fuite’ – escape. I enjoyed every sacred moment of it. 

My favorite childhood imagination was a castle far away on a distant shore with knights in their glistening armor, princesses in their frilly clothes and I as Queen ruled them all. With fairness mind you, I tolerated no meanness within my realm. There was absolutely no sickness either, no way, no how… Escaping reality through my wild imaginations was an anchor in life’s storms growing up. OH! the places your imagination could take you. Barbies became all sorts of adventurers, violence and sex never a thought whatsoever. Now days people use wild imaginations against our children and pervert what used to be sacred. What used to be normal growth development for children has become a lost art of carefree and clean fun.

We traded sacred and righteous for what feels good and pushes boundaries. 

One day like a blink you realize you are grown now and playtime is over. Suddenly all those sacred moments of imagination have become vain imaginations, the villains are our friends, our loved ones or others. Play time is over, now you are daydreaming for real in 3 D with all the latest High Def effects. What used to be fairy tale dreams and swash buckling adventures have now become real life scenarios played out on the screens of our minds with real people and real events. Sometimes these may be good or they may be bad, really bad.

Romans 1:21 Because that, when they knew God, they glorified Him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.

I can’t think of anything greater than this verse. It serves as a warning for us to watch carefully, diligently so that we don’t entertain or get caught up in vain imaginations. If we are not careful they cause us to forget that God is God number 1, that we are to be thankful always number 2, and that forfeiting either of those warnings will ultimately lead us to a darkened heart.

The problem is not that we don’t know God or even that we are not thankful most of the time. The problem is that when we focus on things, places or people rather than God and we stop being thankful, our imaginations become foolish, we gradually become un-thankful and our hearts slowly become darkened to the light of God.

We began to run scenarios through our minds like bad movies scenes better left on the editors floor. This is a huge tool of the enemy to get us sidetracked from God’s purposes in our lives. We don’t realize until it’s too late that we have allowed vain thoughts to fester in the thinking processes of our minds. We drum up scenarios therefore that are not likely to be true, come to pass, or even to be real. The sad thing is we have reacted out in the real world and have hurt others because our hearts were darkened to truth and reason. Vain imaginations took over and fiction bled over into fantasy and before long the lines blurred so badly that what is real is now lost and we’ve burned real bridges in the process.

Wow, I don’t want to be there, do you?

With that in mind let’s remember that we always have hope. God never leaves us without hope.

2 Corinthians 10:5 Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;

In this verse Paul says to cast down those imaginations and every high thing. Why does He do this? He does this simply because we need to refocus. Have you ever caught someone in a blank stare. You stand in front of them and snap your fingers or call their name,  it takes a moment or two to get their attention so caught up in their thoughts are they. Paul warns us before we get caught in the stare to cast those things down. Don’t let anything in your mind exalt itself over God. This doesn’t mean that God is power hunger, greedy for all of your attention, although He rightfully deserves it. It simply means He is protecting us from satan’s scheming tactics who’s greatest battlefield is our minds.

If satan can capture your thought life you are putty in his hands.

So, today I urge you to take every single thought you have captive and bring it to Christ. The good, the bad and the ugly. This does not level the playing field between us and satan, it completely annihilates the field altogether.

I will leave you another verse and one that is awesome encouragement for us to get our attention where it should be…

Philippians 4:8 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.

You can see that all things we think on that lead us astray can be countered by this one verse.

When we think about a person(s) place or thing:

If it is False- Think on things that are True- I John 1:5

If it is Lies- Think on things that are Honest- Psalms 119: 163

If it is an Injustice– Think on things that are Just- Proverbs 10:7

If it is an Impure Thought (Lust)– Think on things that are Pure- Psalms 24:4

If it is Gross- Think on things that are Lovely- Romans 10:15

If You are Caught up in Evil Reports– Think on things that are of a Good Report- Hebrews 11:1-2

Does that mean no-one ever lies or that there are never going to be injustices? Certainly not. We live in a world pervaded with evil all around us. The point is that as children of God we are not to dwell on it. We are not to entertain those thoughts.

It is the battles of the mind that cause us to lose wars real or imagined.

If we are honest we would not get angry or hurt near as much if we dwelt more on God’s thoughts and less on our own. If we let the love of God saturate us and His Word wash us, we would begin to see others through the lens of our Father. Not the lens of our anger or hurt.

I pray that today you would let go of every imagination that exalts itself against our loving Father and that you would allow Him to wash you and cleanse you with His love. Ask Him to renew your heart and mind. Toward Him first and then allow it to manifest outwards to others.

Take back your playground~ Allow yourself to be that little child again only this time the playground is in God’s backyard and He is your very best friend. Live the life of a carefree, joyful child again. You are free to run and play, you are free from stress, from worry and fear. That is what He longs for you to know and experience, can’t you see Him smiling at you? Can’t you hear Him calling you to come over and play?…

 

 

 

 

 

 

I’m hid with Christ~

Shawn

 

Please leave me a comment or question below and let me know how God is moving in your life. I would love to hear what’s going on or be of help to you if I can.