discovering joy in the journey

Joy to the Heart

Bowing my attitude…

2 Corinthians 10:5
We demolish arguments and every pretension
that sets itself up against the knowledge of God,
and we take captive every thought
to make it obedient to Christ.

Linda Dillow, in Satisfy My Thirsty Soul, defines ‘attitude’ as “our mental and emotional response to the circumstances of life.”   After the birth of our third child, I did not respond well to the changes in our family’s life. . . not that our little boy was by any means a difficult baby.  He was a good sleeper, nursed well, etc.  However, for me, going from two children to three presented some very difficult challenges.  Over a span of several months, I experienced a lot of ‘negative inward chatter’.  This led to despair and hopelessness because I listened to my thoughts and did not take them captive.  I did not test them against what God’s Word says.

Now,  after the birth of our fourth child, I am again facing similar challenges.  Ever since I became pregnant with this precious little one, I have been fearing this postpartum time.   I have been praying that I would be spiritually stronger and ready to combat the impending negative thoughts and emotions.

I know what I need to do.  There is a solution and God just reminded me of it in the book by Dillow that I have been reading.  So, as I face this upcomming 3rd postpartum week, I need to…

• draw close to God
• reflect on His attributes
• worship Him with thanksgiving
• cultivate an attitude of gratitude for all things
• test negative thoughts against what God’s Truth is
• continue to pray for strength and peace

So, how is this bowing my attitude?  Dillow explains that “The sacrifice comes when I put to death my inclinations, when I kill my urge to” grumble and focus on the negative emotions.  “Then, after putting to death my natural tendancy, I must call forth from the deep within me, the buried treasure of praise.”  “A thankful spirit is the way out of the pit.”

Philippians 4:8
Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble,
whatever is right, whatever is pure,
whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable
—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy,
think about such things.

Lord Jesus, I pray that you would help me to take every thought captive, to dwell upon your faithfulness, and to be thankful for all things.

Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth.
Worship the Lord with gladness.  Come before him with joyful songs.
Know that the Lord is God.  It is he who made us, and we are his.
We are his people, the sheep of his pasture.
Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise.
Give thanks to him and praise his name.
For the Lord is good and his love endures forever.
His faithfulness continues through all generations.
Psalm 100

I have been reading some of my long awaited books that are next to the nursing chair .  Satisfy My Thirsty Soul: For I am Desperate For Your Presence by Linda Dillow is the first one that I am working my way through.   I don’t know why, but I was surprised to discover that the way to be closer to God is through worshipping Him.  That is the very thing I love to do – I love to sing His praises!  Could it be that simple?  Dillow states, “Worship can satisfy our thirsty souls.”  It “is the path to experiencing the presence of God.”  We can give our Lord honor, thanksgiving, and praise.  She details several practical ways for anyone, including busy moms, to worship God such as …

• the ABC’s of worship in which you think through each letter of the alphabet Aa-Zz and think of as many words that begin with that letter that describes God (for example, for Aa  ‘My God is awesome, amazing, my Abba Father, etc….’)
• finding stillness by creating time for either a retreat (a longer time of worship alone with God) or what she calls ‘little solitudes’ in each day (For example, while nursing I could pray, while folding the laundry I could praise God through the ABC’s of worship, while in the car with my children running errands we can sing along to worship music, while kids are napping, etc.)
  I loved how Dillow said that “the outward clamor of my busy life and the continual inward chatter caused by restlessness has kept me from the blessing of stillness and the felt presence of God.”  Oh, how I can relate!  In addition to a retreat and/or ‘little solitudes’, she suggested always having a pen and piece of paper on hand during your times of prayer and worship.  That way, when inevitable distractions pop up (like thinking of things that need to get done today), just jot them down quickly and continue worshipping.
• searching out a special place to worship (She gave examples of moms who would pray in the closet or worship with headphones on in their walk in pantry for a few minutes of solitude.  A couch, a special chair, a place outside… anywhere!)
• and finding music that lifts your spirit and leads you to worship

We can worship with songs and praises, but Dillow continues to expand upon what worship is.  She explains how I can worship God with all of my life.  I can bow my life, everything, before Him as an act of worship.  Dillow states, “True worship will lead to holy obedience.”   As a true act of worship I can and should bow my words, my attitude, my work, my times of waiting, my pain, and my will.  Now, I have not read all of these chapters yet, but the first two on bowing my words and attitude have already convicted me.  I hope to write my reflections on some of these chapters in upcoming entries.

Psalm 63:1-8
O God, you are my God, earnestly I seek you.
My soul thirsts for you.  My body longs for you,
in a dry and weary land where there is no water.
I have seen you in the sanctuary and beheld your power and your glory.
Because your love is better than life, my lips will glorify you.
I will praise you as long as I live, and in your name I will lift up my hands.
My soul will be satisfied as with the richest of foods.
With singing lips my mouth will praise you.
On my bed I remember you.
I think of you through the watches of the night.
Because you are my help, I sing in the shadow of your wings.
My soul clings to you.  Your right hand upholds me.