Do you ever catch yourself daydreaming? Sometimes we let our mind slip back to a precious moment from the past that spoke truth and value into our lives and we just want to replay it to strengthen us today. Or we might find ourselves dreaming of a beautiful future, anticipating the good plan God has for us, the rewards of faithful living.

 

But daydreaming can also take us where we don’t want to go… the fantasy world of “what if.” It typically starts when you are bored or frustrated or discontented with life. And it leads us down a path of deception.

 

We have an endless capacity to deceive ourselves, asking what if:

‘Wrong’ depends on the situation.
Everyone else does it.
Lies can be justified.
Sin doesn’t matter.

 

We have such disastrous capacity to block out the consequences of our actions, forgetting the past and the future, living only for the moment of today. The truth is – none of us can trust ourselves apart from God. The walls that protect us are of no use if the gates are unwatched. And our mind is the gateway to our whole life: the books we read, the movies we see, the conversations we have, the thoughts we think, the passions we embrace.

 

The world has a different definition of faithfulness than God does. The world says lust can enhance a marriage. Jesus calls it adultery. We think it’s okay to devote a lifetime to meaningless collections and hobbies. If it competes with our passion for God, he calls it idolatry. We try to rationalize a meaningless life but it’s just so many rational lies. What we let in through the gates of our mind can defeat us. We need to be the gatekeepers of our renewed minds.

 

The good news is that the same mind that leads us down the road of sin can lead us back to God. If we are to daydream, we can choose to think about God’s ways, his blessings, his promises. Whatever is noble, true, right, praiseworthy, think about such things. We need to stop rationalizing something’s not wrong and start asking what is the right thing to do!

 

It’s not a game. We’re either in it or we’re not.
God chose you. Choose God again today.
Choose to be the new creation you really are.
Take captive every thought and make it obedient.
Guard the gates.

 

Remember that every temptation is an opportunity to trust God.
He will help you. He will set you free.

 

Think well. Live well. Believe.

It matters.