A Sound Mind!

My oldest Granddaughter sleeping during
a picture - very peacefully-who is now 12 

My alarm clock goes off at 5 am every morning to take my Thyroid pill and read the Bible before I start my day. When I reached over to turn the alarm off, I said, “Wow, I feel really rested”! Have any of you ever woke up with that feeling? 

I know in my lifetime, it has been few and far between; whereas, even if I did sleep all night, I tossed and turned because my thoughts were up and running ALL night - that’s why so many of us wake up restless and agitated! 

Psalm 4:8 NKJV

 I will both lie down in peace, and sleep;For You alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety

I read an article years ago (or it could have been from a college class, can’t truly remember when) of how powerful our thoughts can be. A study was done on Olympic athlete runners to see if they could actually perform a race in their minds. Even though they were not physically performing it; the athletes heart rate increased, they became sweaty, and overtime, exhausted from running. This study revealed that in our minds, we can vision anything and make it happen, even though our body is not actually involved in the process.  This is what happens, when our minds are not at rest during sleep! 

Visions in our mind can be changed, especially if they are unwanted. Our mind is a powerful tool we don’t use to our advantage! We misuse it to a defeat more than a "Victory"! Basically, if you can vision it, do it!

This is what I have heard some Pastors preach, and I have read it in the Bible; but until I experienced it, it didn’t resonate with me. 

II Timothy 1:7 NKJV 

7 For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.

The above verse clearly says, “and of a sound mind”; and, I recite this all the time! What being of a sound mind is being at rest, peace, no worries - because in your "heart and mind" you know (without a doubt) God will take care of you! Victory is ours in Jesus Christ our Lord!

I’m going to be honest, I do worry about things such as, “If I don’t go back to work soon, how am I going to pay rent”. I keep recalling my past experiences, instead of focusing, relying, and depending on God here and now - in this moment! 

Philippians 3:10-16 AMPC 

10 [For my determined purpose is] that I may know Him [that I may progressively become more deeply and intimately acquainted with Him, perceiving and recognizing and understanding the wonders of His Person more strongly and more clearly], and that I may in that same way come to know the power outflowing from His resurrection [which it exerts over believers], and that I may so share His sufferings as to be continually transformed [in spirit into His likeness even] to His death, [in the hope]

11 That if possible I may attain to the [spiritual and moral] resurrection [that lifts me] out from among the dead [even while in the body].

12 Not that I have now attained [this ideal], or have already been made perfect, but I press on to lay hold of (grasp) and make my own, that for which Christ Jesus (the Messiah) has laid hold of me and made me His own.

13 I do not consider, brethren, that I have captured and made it my own [yet]; but one thing I do [it is my one aspiration]: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead,

14 I press on toward the goal to win the [supreme and heavenly] prize to which God in Christ Jesus is calling us upward.

15 So let those [of us] who are spiritually mature and full-grown have this mind and hold these convictions; and if in any respect you have a different attitude of mind, God will make that clear to you also.

16 Only let us hold true to what we have already attained and walk and order our lives by that.

The past is gone and that door has been closed! Yet in my mind, I keep trying to push it open, thinking 🤔, I have been in this position before and that darkness of fear surfaces, that truly has no power; but I give it power when I bring it to memory and vision it happening again!

Ephesians 6:11-12 AMPC 

11 Put on God’s whole armor [the armor of a heavy-armed soldier which God supplies], that you may be able successfully to stand up against [all] the strategies and the deceits of the devil.

12 For we are not wrestling with flesh and blood [contending only with physical opponents], but against the despotisms, against the powers, against [the master spirits who are] the world rulers of this present darkness, against the spirit forces of wickedness in the heavenly (supernatural) sphere.

Today, I can truly say, I went to sleep, this time rested; and woke up of a sound mind (Peaceful); knowing “all is well” through and by the Power of God  - but it didn’t happen until I quit wrestling in my mind - I "surrendered" ALL to Him!