Changing The Narrative (Part Three - The Why)

What audio tracks - silent "oughts and shoulds" play in the theater of your mind? Where did they come from?

Changing the narrative around these thoughts is one of the most important steps we can take in our spiritual formation. I am using the example of fitness as a practical application of how the process helps us work through change but the fitness example is also metaphor for our spiritual growth. In the same way that my internal narrative was keeping me stuck from a fitness perspective the process holds true across all facets of our lives, especially when it comes to our spiritual formation and our ability to live in the fullness of Gods invitation for our lives.

The Monitored Mind*

Life by design involves intentionality: filtering our experience in order to identify both the true and the false. Living by design involves

1. A fierce awareness of what is happening within.

2. The ability to discern truth from falsehood.

3. A deliberate choice to align ourselves to truth.

The challenge is to become attentive and responsive to these inner motions - to create a filter that is capable of noticing and distinguishing between various inner motions that shape our lives.

This requires a deep awareness of what is happening within us.

Without being attentive to these interior motions, we are left to live a life by default, our minds swimming with schools of potentially false and destructive messages.

Coming to wholeness in Christ involves letting go of false images and distortions, and embracing what is true. Accurate perceptions of God, self, and others only happens when we acknowledge and shatter inadequate and false ideas.

You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by it's deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.

(Ephesians 4:22-24)

Keep thy heart with diligence for out of it are the issues of life.

(Proverbs 4:23)

The Bible acknowledges how the human personality is organized, and recognizes the centrality of the mind as the gateway to truth.

Though we may feel powerless over the perceptions that dominate our thinking and shape our lives, Christ can renew our minds through collaboration with the Holy Spirit.

In the next post I will share a specific discipline that is one "bridge" to how we might practically partner with the process of choosing truth.

Stay tuned and stay the course, it matters!

Jeff

*Adapted from Theodyssey - A spiritual formation journey volume one - David Smith