Sorting through the Spoils of battle

We have had a very interesting Adult Sunday School class going on recently, that is focusing upon how the Brain works and how memories can trigger emotions that are just as powerful as they day they occured. It gives scientific and biblical ways to allow bad memories to heal and quite frankly, it is one of the most interesting Adult Sunday School classes that I have ever sat in.

The idea of the powerful effects of memories caused me to do a great deal of thinking on the subject this week and I have a few things to share that you will hopefully enjoy. In the Old Testament times when Countries would war against each other, to the Victor went the spoils. All of the goods and livestock and monies would become the property of the Conquerers. But the things that were worth keeping would have to be sorted through and obviously, what was good would be kept and what was not, would be destroyed. The battle took work, the sorting took work, but the results would be well worth the effort.

2 Corinthians 10:4-5 tells us that we are in a war. And the battlefield that we fight it on is in the Mind. But it also tells us that we have powerful weapons in God to fight with. With all of that said and with my new found knowledge of the mind :<) I have made some personal conclusions. One of the reasons that we struggle in our spiritual battlefields is that we get stuck in the sorting process. We may win a victory but we get so caught up in the sort that we have difficulty in hanging on to the good and letting go and even destroying the bad. "Taking every thought captive into the obedience of Christ" is one of the keys. I've been attempting to make that a discipline recently. "Lord, is that thought pleasing to you, healthy for me and is there good in it." It may sound silly to some but I am learning that I can reject bad thoughts with Christ as my guide.

Let me give you an illustration of what I mean. Quickly think of the last 5 really good things that someone has done for you. Take the time to write them down and keep track of how long it takes you to complete the process.

Now, think of the last 5 times someone has hurt you. You probably won't even have to write them down and if you are like most people, this list will be filled a whole lot quicker.

Why? Is it because very few people do nice things? I don't believe that for a second. I believe we get stuck in the sort and we tend to remember our hurts much more than our victories. I'm planning to change that! One thought at a time!