Pathways and Train Tracks

Sometimes the things we allow to take up space in our brains are not only non-conducive to following God’s will for our lives, but they can be downright contrary to that will, and even lead us in a different direction.

Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ; (2 Corinthians 10:5)

I realized recently that I had a certain choice set before me.  I could either wile away the hours reading a fictional story on the Internet, or use that time to research and study the scriptures in order to create a post that might glorify the Lord and maybe even be of help to someone.  I have to admit, my flesh wanted to read that story instead.  Sure, I could have read the story and then do a quick search and study about a topic from the Bible, but I know that God would not be honored by being put in second place, and therefore, although His word never returns void, I would lose the fullness of His blessing.

Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee. (Isaiah 26:3)

The mind is a wonderful thing, but it is very complex. Our thoughts have the ability to form and change our brains. We develop thought patterns, these thought patterns act like pathways. After awhile these pathways can become more like train tracks. The difference between a pathway and a train track is the freedom to change our direction at will.

Now imagine you are walking on a path alongside a train track talking with the Lord. You are enjoying the walk and feel exhilarated at the freedom you have to follow beside the Lord wherever He may lead. You are not worried about where you are going or at what pace you are walking.  Now suddenly a fast train blazes by and you find you are no longer walking the path beside the tracks, but you are a passenger on the train. The trees and the peaceful path are zooming by as you watch out the window. You have no idea where you are headed and panic grips you as you realize you are powerless to change this course.

What happened is that while you were walking with the Lord, the loud train that blazed past you distracted you. Sometimes thoughts (or circumstances) are like that train.

Think about this; God gave us free will. Although the devil will try to use our free will to his own advantage, he hates the fact that we can use that same free will to choose to follow the Lord instead of him.  We need to know that the enemy will try to manipulate and bind that will wherever he can, this usually begins with our thought life.  If we entertain certain thoughts within our brain long enough, the pathways that these thoughts lead us down will become deeper and deeper until they resemble deep tracks or even ruts that no matter how hard we turn the wheel to try to get our tires out of them, it only results in digging us deeper. Before you know it, you are stuck. You can neither move forward nor change direction. It will take direct intervention from God in order to set us back to where we ought to be. Just like the train is bound by the constraints of the track, the ruts formed from thoughts that do not glorify God can bind us along a path that we do not want to follow.  Sometimes this kind of thinking is quite subtle, unlike the distraction of a loud train, these thoughts tend to sneak up on us while we are not paying attention or staying fully focused on the Lord in the first place. The ruts are sometimes created by other people too. We have a choice to follow the way of the world, or the voice of the Way, the Truth, and the Life. AKA Jesus

Your trail map:




In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.

 (Proverbs 3:6)

In case you still find yourself lost in the dark:

Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path. (Psalm 119:105)

Dear Jesus,

Help us to remain focused on you Lord, help us to not be so distracted by the wrong 'train of thought',  so that we may not lose the joy and peace of your fellowship with us as we walk with you along the pathways of life. 

In thy name~ Amen~