In the course of a day, a lot of things touch our senses, and while we may not think about each one, they leave their marks. They may not be an audible sound like a voice or music, but they speak to us in different ways. It could be the laughter of a child that we heard. Maybe it’s a butterfly that flitted silently by in front of us that we saw with our eyes. It may be a replay of a conversation we had yesterday. Or maybe it’s the touch of a friend’s hand on your shoulder. Then there’s the taste of chocolate chip cookies right from the oven. Or the fragrance of flowers or cologne that you just walked by. All our senses are involved in “listening”.
These can all speak positively or negatively to us. We get to choose. The music could be annoying. The laughter of a child might cause us to remember one that is no longer with us. The butterfly might be part of a memory that wasn’t pleasant. The conversation could have ended in an argument. The touch may have turned to abuse. The cookies may have burnt your tongue, or the fragrance may have made you sneeze.
Let’s look at the positive side now. A friend’s voice caused me to look up and smile. A child’s laughter reminds me of the good times in my childhood. Whenever a butterfly flits by, it always makes me smile because they are so pretty and carefree, and remind me of new life in Christ. If I think about a conversation I had with someone, it can encourage me. The touch of a friend means they are here for me. Chocolate chip cookies from the oven are the best when they are still soft and gooey. Fragrances bring a brightness to the day that arouse the sense of smell.
Sounds like positive thinking, doesn’t it? Maybe a little. Our mind can take an innocent gesture and twist it into something it was never meant to be. I’m familiar with the plot line in Christmas romance movies where boy and girl meet, fall in love, someone says something that is misconstrued or taken out of context, and the romance is off. As a watcher, being able to see both sides, I think all they need to do is talk with each other and be honest. What they think happened was not what really took place. We need to do that with the things we hear and allow to reside in our hearts and minds.
We use our powerful God-tools
for smashing warped philosophies,
tearing down barriers erected against the truth of God,
fitting every loose thought and emotion and impulse
into the structure of life shaped by Christ.
II Corinthians 10:5, MSG
Could you be listening to Satan’s lies? He’s great at twisting the truth, telling lies, and pitting people against one another. When we become aware of his tactics and pay attention to our thoughts, we will learn to recognize where those thoughts originated and be able to refute thoughts that don’t come from God because THAT is what destroys our peace. Are you free to experience peace or is something holding you back? I’ll talk about that in the next post.