ThinWithin~Day 21, 22, 23

I appreciated the emphasis in chapter 21 on the importance of gratitude.

"As we practice gratitude, we find outselves not so focused on ourselves. As we turn our eyes toward God we experience the lifting up of our own eyes." TW pg 227

I want gratitude and joy in the Lord and rejoicing to become the very fabric of my character. I continue to count my blessings :-)

I found the following quote quite thought-provoking...

"We mean an entire surrender of the whole being to God; spirit, soul and body placed under His absolute control, for Him to do with us just what He pleases. We mean that the language of our soul, under all circumstances, and in view of every act, is to be, 'They will be done.' We mean the giving up of all liberty of choice. We mean a life of inevitable obedience. To a soul ignorant of God, this may look hard. But to those who know Him, it is the happiest and most restful of lives. He is our Father, and He loves us, and He knows just what is best, and therefore, of course, His will is the very most blessed thing that can come to us under all circumstances."
Hannah Whittal Smith quoted in TW pg 228

Then more lessons kept popping out at me as I was doing the "Breaking Free" study by Beth Moore. The following statement REALLY resonates:

"If God simply waved a wand over us and broke every yoke without our cooperation do you know what would probably happen? We would soon pick up another. God desires to change us from the inside out--renewing our minds, starving our self-destructive tendencies, and teaching us to form new habits. These results come only to those who learn to walk all over again, this time with their Deliverer."
Beth Moore in "Breaking Free" workbook pg 138

How true!!! I'd say this is what my thin within journey has been all about... God wants to set me free from the bondage of gluttony and greed (and also from an undisciplined loose tongue and laziness and out-of-control emotions). He doesn't want me to pick up another yoke. He really and truly wants to be my Deliverer and set me FREE...by renewing our minds, starving our self-destructive tendencies, and teaching us to form new habits!

The phrase that especially spoke to me was "renewing our minds." A big part of this to me means making sure my beliefs line up with God's truth. This is something that has been hitting me left right and center over the past couple months!

That pertains to just about any beliefs...

• moral ones....what does God's word have to say about this issue?
• self...does what I believe about myself line up with what God thinks about me.
• how I handle situations...line this up with God's word.
• thought life...take thoughts captive and make them obedient to Christ.
• beliefs that affect my actions...make sure they line up with God's truth.
• etc....

I have found this incredibly liberating and very encouraging. God's Word is a tool in the face of all of Satan's attacks. And it has certainly encouraged me to use Scripture more frequently and more effectively.

That being said, I long to soak up God's word and keep growing deeper roots. I long to be thirsty and hungry for Him alone. I long to find that satisfaction that only He can offer because He's the only one who really and truly knows what is best for me:-)

My prayers were echoed in the TW chapters I was reading the past few days...

"I want to give myself totally to You as an offering. I pray that You will find my offering pleasing and holy, Lord. I worship You today with my choices. This will include when I start and when I stop eating. Please renew my mind so that I, Christina, can know Your good, pleasing and perfect will." TW pg237

"I pray that I will have a greater desire not only to read Your Word but allow it to be written on the tablet of my heart. As I meditate on Scripture, cause it to satisfy my soul..." TW pg 240