Are You Scatterbrained?

I don’t know about you, but as the years have gone by, I lose more things in my mind than I even put into it.
With each child, the information I must keep track of did not ADD but compounded exponentially—especially as they marry and have children.
A few of my sons would get upset with me because they had to “tell me again” what they were doing or where they were going for the day.
I tried to explain, “I have ten people to schedule and each one doing something different every day.” But they couldn’t understand. 

I’ve shared recently of a doctor we’ve hired to help with my adrenal fatigue. One of the aspects he addresses is our body’s need to fight or flight. This fight or flight mode is great when there’s a tiger in the room. We must act NOW to save ourselves. 
But when we are in stress mode ALL THE TIME, our body starts to see everything as a danger.
Hunting for tigers?
Everything looks like a tiger. 
This wears down our body. Other bodily functions slow down or shut down all together. It can’t do it all.
In order to manually slow down our fight or flight system, he recommends two-ten minute turn off moments through the day.
In those ten minutes, we are to concentrate on ONE THING.
He tells us, “It cannot be done,” so as we try, we won’t be surprised when we can’t.
But he promises as we do, it becomes easier. 
Just bring those wandering thoughts back to the ONE THING you are supposed to be concentrating on.
What this does for the body is to re-program it to slow down and not see everything as a stress (or a tiger). 
Alarm systems aren’t going on all the time.
This enables your other functions to start to work better.

But I should not have needed a doctor to tell me this.
The Bible says, We are taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ. 2 Corinthians 10:5b.
I had a pastor who always prayed before his sermon that we would “take every thought captive to the obedience of Christ.”
As a child, I thought he just wanted us to pay attention to what he was saying. 
But it more than that.
Much more.

When we are careful to think only of what Christ would have us consider,
we do not go down roads of revenge, greed, or just wasting our time. 

Every thought…
Think how it would change our thought patterns, actions, and life!
That’s what Paul was telling the Corinthians!
And that's what God wants for us.

But like the doctor said, it can’t be done.
And so I find myself scatterbrained.

God made us like Him.
Not scatterbrained, but thinking beings, who process things, want to know the “why?”, and don’t stop thinking.
So how do we take our thoughts captive?
The doctor was on the right track with those ten minutes of slow down and thinking of ONE THING.
God, in fact, tells us what that ONE THING should be.

You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on You, because he trusts in You. 
Isaiah 26:3.

How do we keep our mind stayed on Him?
Saturate our minds with God’s Word.
That doesn’t just happen.
We must read, study, meditate on it.
It must become so much a part of us, we can’t do anything else but live it.
How else would we know what God wants?

This must be a priority. Not just Sunday doses. But every day being filled with it.
People say, “I don’t have time.”
And they don’t.
Yet they have time for television—which is called a “program” for an obvious reason, they program you to think a certain way. 
They have time for their phones. 
They don’t even put that away for church.

When I look at the world, I see a world crying for peace.
But God says, peace is found in His presence.
We don’t find God on the phone or on tv.
Nor do we find God in our busy-ness.
We must be willing to slow down—no—STOP!
Think of only Him.
Consider His Words. 
Ask for His direction.
And listen for His still small voice.

This requires deliberate action.
Busy-ness forces itself onto us without trying.
Slowing down and listening to God as we read His Word takes time. 
He doesn't give His answers like a fast-food restaurant—when you order. 
He is God. 
He gives His answers when He chooses. 
We must be willing to wait.
And listen.

Daniel prayed. 
Forty days later he received an answer. 
The angel said he had battled during those days to bring the answer to him.

Job never found out why he suffered.
But he found a deeper trust in the God Who allowed him to suffer.

We are to sit in His presence where there is peace and worship without answers, without a blessing.
That requires “taking every thought captive.”
But when we do, we can go about our day with purpose, knowing this is what God wanted us to be doing.
That scatterbrained feeling can drive us back to God for His peace and presence.
Or can keep us distracted to never slow down.

But when I do slow down and listen—
He gives direction. 
He orchestrates the next step.
And that is all I need to know.
Scatterbrained or at peace—you choose.

Faith
Find more articles about faith here:
The Need for Meaning Even in Pain
Reminders of What's Important
God's Unmeasurable Love
A Quarter of a Century Spent for Our Country
What Were You Thinking?
Who Are You Watching?
Boundaries for a Better Life
God's Boundaries
Memories of a Hero Mom
The Ripple Effect
How Do We Think Like Jesus
Litany of a Waiting Woman
Ever Cook a Frog?
New Year's Reminders
They Galled Her Gammy
When God Speaks
A Russian Christmas Story
Be Thankful
Be Grateful
Are You Tired of the Same, Old Thing?
  (reprint)
Laughter—Why Laugh?
Mom
Are You Disturbed?
Unity of the Brothers
Encouragements To Declutter
Do You Have Too Much Stuff?
Too Much Stress
Getting Past the Noise—The Value of Silence
Are You Scatterbrained?
How Good Are You?
Looking for Something Good To Read?
A Cup of Cold Water
I Will Trust When I Cannot See
Encouragement—What Is It?
Being in God's Presence
"Einstein and the Professor"
When God Is Silent
Do You Crave Beauty?
Using Stories to Discipline
The Danger of the Wrong Story
Using Stories to Teach Lessons
God is in charge of the future
November Dare Joy Challenge
Ungratefulness
Developing an Attitude of Gratitude
Looking for Jesus
What Do Your Prayers Reflect?
Life's Little Pleasures
Daniel—Greatly Loved by God
Take Every Thought
Jars of Clay
What Do Your Words Reveal about Your Heart?
How Do You Get Strong Faith?
Too Busy for God's Word?
How Do You Think Like Jesus?
Reflections from a Mom
Pain—What's It Good For?
Why Marry?
Consider the Robin
One Life Who Made a Difference
What Day Are You Living In?
Interrupted by God
Is Jesus Really the Answer to Everything?
Are You Beat Up?
What's Your Hurry?
Are You a Manipulator?
Are You Salty?
Are You Condemned?
Trying to Understand?
Do You Expect Answers to Your Prayers?
Do You Eat Your Stress?
Need Focus?
Going through Trouble?
Immanuel—God with Us
Looking for a Relationship?
When God Says, "No!"
What Do You Do with Left-Overs?
How Great Is Your God?
Are You Needy?
How Do You See Sin?
What Do Your Words Mean?
Is Evil Overwhelming You?
Those Aha Moments
Is Your Soul Happy?
Are You Ignored?
Looking for the God Moment
Do You Know Truth from Almost Truth?
I Believe in Jesus—What Now?
Do You Have Your "Son"-Glasses On?
Less Is More
Singing His Praise
Are You Trying To Do It All?
What Do You Do with All These Prayer Requests?
Have a Problem?
Do You Know How to Pray?
Looking for God in Every Moment
Are You Receptive to God's Blessings?
Tell the Senate: Mothers Aren't Birthing People
Is Your Life Complicated?
How Do We Fight Evil?
Fearfully and Wonderfully Made
Giving Up or Taking Away
the Bible is simple
Are You a Dripping Faucet?
What's Your Testimony?
The Final Move
Be Careful What You Wish For!
Are Your Prayers Answered?
I Choose Joy
What Have You Learned from Your Hardship?
Who Are You Trying to Change?
What's Your Five-Year Plan?
The Danger of "Aloneness"
My Colors
Are You a Whiner?
Are Your Works Approved?
Do You Think You're Stressed?
Is Your Soul Feeling Ragged?
God Speaks to the Heart of the King
What about the Details?
Have You Felt the Long-Suffering of God?
How Does God Lead You?
Do You Have Enough?
Don't Carry More than You Need
Cast the Seed
God Is Faithful
Are You Deceived?
Are You Essential?
Are You Safe?
Are You Tired of the Same Old Thing?
Does the World Make Sense?
Have You Seen God's Majesty?
Do You Feel Judged?
If You Only Had One More Day To Live
Are You Understood?
Do You Long for the Word of God?
Slow Down and Smell the Dead Leaves
Are You Hospitable?
Our Heritage Is Bought by Blood
Are You Disturbed?
Are You Depressed?
I Did It My Way
Finding the Simple Life with Meaning
The Simple Life
Do You Have the Right Words?
Did Your Dream Die?
On the Other Side of the Fence
Marijuana, Mental Illness, and Violence
Confessions of a Desperate Mom
Saving for Tomorrow
A Wedding Remembered
Who Will Stand in the Gap?
Are You a Protector or a Ruler?
Who Are You?
Are You an Image Bearer or a Wad of Cells?
Are You a Watchman?
Where Do You Find Meaning?
The Lamb of God as Told by a Scribe
What Love Is This?
Remember: The Symbols of Passover Explained
Tea and Rest
Do You Have Peace?
What Makes a Marriage Work?
When Life Is Awful
Are You Strong Enough?
Rules
Seasons
Be Faithful through Suffering
Do You Know the Word?
Wake Up! Strengthen What Remains
Are You Spit in God's Mouth?
Is Jezebel in Your Midst?
Do You Stand Against Satan Himself?
Are You Tired of Being a Mom?
What in the World Is Happening?
It's Not My Story
How Would Your Faith Compare?
Are You Sinking?
Are You a Rule Follower?
Useful for Him
An Intimate Moment with Mary
The Worldview that Makes the
   Underclass
Thoughts to Ponder
What Does It Take To Know the
    Heart of God?
See the Story in the Stars
Do the Scriptures Burn You?
Being in His Presence
Contentment: It's Not for the Timid
How Secure Are You?
How Do You Respond To Stupid People?
The Earthworm Is My Hero
Heart Issues or Issues of the Heart
Things Aren't Always What They Seem
More faith articles are found here:

under the Table of Contents. Also available in book form.
Or here:

under the Table of Contents. Also available in book form.
Articles on Suffering can be found  here, 

under Table of Contents. Also available in book form.
Special Days
Remember: The Symbols of 
   Passover Explained    
Aug 12, 2017 The Heavens Declare the Glory of God
July 4th, Freedom
What Is an American Soldier?
Valentine's Day: A Day of Love?
Memorial Day-A Day To Remember
Veterans' Day-To Honor Our Men
Fall Colors
First Thanksgiving Day
    Proclamation
Christmas: Stories behind the Songs
Christmas: Stories behind the Songs, part 2

I write about what matters...to you---
women, wives and moms---
about your family, faith and future.
I write about what's hard, what helps and what heals.
I show you how it's done. And not done.
I hold your hand as you find what matters to the Savior.
And let go of those things that mattered to you, but not to Him.
I write about what matters...to Him.
               Sonya Contreras