Renewing the Mind
I saw this article on Home Living quite a while ago. Oh, it was like a breath of fresh air to me! In it, Lady Lydia reflects on how we can renew our minds and not be conformed to the world in our thoughts (which is where Satan loves to defeat us ladies!). Here are the two paragraphs that stood out to me:
Conforming to the world also means that we feel controlled by today's fashions,news,music, education, and even by the current personal relationship trends. It is a never-ending cycle of keeping up with everything. The solution is to stick with something you love, whether it be a style of decorating, the reading you like, clothing, cooking, or the type of outings you enjoy, and let the world and its trends pass on by. You won't miss the stress of constant change.
The Bible says that we aren't to be conformed by all that the world is beckoning us to , but to prove what is the good and acceptable will of God. You aren't going to prove the beautiful , God-given role of women in the home if you spend the day upset and worrying. You will prove it if you do not waste time trying to conform to the world's dictates, while giving your home your very best.
How true this is! Over the months and years I've been blogging, I have read so many thoughts on how to eat, what types of foods to eat, how to care for my hair and face, what kind of cleaners to use, where to shop, how to decorate my house . . . on and on it goes, thanks to the multitude of information available on the internet on every blog imaginable. The things I've read are good things, but constantly reading about how I should be doing things differently is not good for my mind; I get bogged down by things that won't matter so much in the long run. It won't really matter if I ate organic, had granite countertops, used all-natural cleaners . . . it just really won't matter when this life is over.
Ladies, we can only do so much. We can only process so much information and make so many changes. Even among sincere Christian ladies, there is a form of political correctness going on, and it will not contribute to a quiet spirit if we are trying to figure out how to change everything we're currently doing to be like our favorite blogger or follow the latest trend in food, fashion, home decor, or childrearing. We have to find the path God has for each of us, and stick with it. Find out what your husband wants and likes, decide what you want and like, and renew your mind by determining to hold a steady course until God changes it . . . most likely through your husband's wishes, rather than somebody's blog! ;)
Oh Susan, this is so good! I'm linking to it in my sidebar under 'Worth the Read'.
ReplyDeleteI have experienced just what you shared in your post and it is very unsettling to the mind to be bombarded with so many different opinions.
Another danger I see is it can cause you to doubt your husband when he decides against something that you are convinced is right because you read it on your favorite blog.
I remember one time I decided I was going to start making all of our bread from scratch--after reading about it on so many different blogs and how it's SO MUCH better to do that. Well when I told this to my husband I thought he'd think I was the best wife ever but his reaction was Why would you want to do that, seems like a lot of extra work and a waste of your time to me. I was stunned by his response but it cause me to realize that I had been being too influenced by what others were saying a "good wife" does.
Blessings,
~Michele
That is ** exactly ** what I'm talking about, Michele! You hit the nail on the head. I did the same thing with a major area of our life years ago, because I read it on a forum. These folks were/are very godly people, but I was following them rather than my husband. As I look back now, from the perspective of 8 years or so, I can see God's hand in our lives in that area (very personal), and how I almost messed up by trying to force my husband to do what was surely the only "right" thing to do! And there were plenty of other women on that site doing the exact same thing. The moderators closed the forum because they realized what was happening, praise the Lord! They are still teaching the same principles, but it's to families now, rather than just to women.
ReplyDeleteThank you for this post. So true that everywhere we go there are always people telling us what is right for us and what we should do. I homeschool my children and people always tells me that they are missing out. I sure can't figure out what they are missing except the Word of God not being taught in public school.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Susan. I needed this reminder today.
ReplyDeleteoh this is a good reminder...it is bad enough to be influenced by the *other8 externals, which aren't bad in themselves all the time...but...blogging at times can almost mesmorize you...does that make sense?
ReplyDeleteI have to be so careful in many areas with this venue of communication, Susan....to include endorsing blogs where I know they are not doctinally sound, at all....
also to make sure like you said, that my husband and HIS desires come first...EXCELLANT POST...most...excellant !!!
Deby