This morning I was overcome by what my friends and I call “Stinkin’ Thinkin”. You know what I mean, those unhealthy thoughts of sadness, anxiousness or blues for no reason. At first, I thought I was just in this funk because our vacation was over and I had to return to work today. But that wasn’t it. The more I sat in my red chair and prayed, the more the thoughts kept coming and the tears kept flowing.
Imagine digging a hole in the sand near the water. As you dig, the hole is perpetually filled back in with water. It is an endless battle. So were my thoughts this morning. The more I tried to dig myself out, the more I sank. I was in sinking sand.
I needed help! I called for back up! At 7:19am this morning I sent out an APB (a text message) to some dear friends and prayer warriors. These friends understand the severity of “Stinkin’ Thinkin”. My text message was simple: “I feel some Stinkin Thinkin trying to set in. There is no reason for such unhealthy thoughts, but they keep coming and the tears keep flowing. Please pray me out this!”
They know the danger of my situation and they know how to get out of it-PRAY!
Again, I sat in my red chair. The image of the hole in the sand kept coming to mind. But this time, scripture filled my mind. I grabbed my journal and began to write. One verse at a time I replaced my “Stinkin Thinkin” thoughts with scriptural truths.
“I have set the Lord, always before me. Because He is at my right hand, I will not be shaken.” -Psalms 16:8
“Demolish all thoughts and imaginations that is against the knowledge of God. Take every thought captive and make it obedient to Christ.” -2 Corinthians 10:5
“Whatever is true, noble, right, admirable, pure, lovely, excellent, praiseworthy…think about such things. Whatever you have learned, received, heard, or seen from me, put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.” – Philippians 4:8-9
My phone buzzed indicating I had received a text message. I read it and smiled. A dear friend reply to my cry for help. Her prayer that she messaged back to me was Philippians 4:8. The exact verse I had just wrote in my prayer journal…How cool is God!
I knelt down on the floor still feeling heavy hearted. Unable to even pray for myself. Then I remembered….
“The Holy Spirit helps us in our weakness. When we do not know what to pray, the Holy Spirit intercedes with us and groans words we can not express.” -Romans 8:26
I hear my phone buzzing again and smile. Prayer warriors in action! I rise and fill my coffee mug and ponder the sinking sand analog. I begin to hum the old hymn. “On Christ the solid rock I stand, all other ground is sinking sand…..All other ground is sinking sand.” I return to my red chair and my mind reflects on our recent vacation to Ocracoke and our visit to the Hatteras Lighthouse.
A history lesson: The Hatteras Lighthouse is the tallest brick lighthouse in the US. This lighthouse was constructed in 1870 and its beacon of light can be seen for over 20 miles warning ships of the dangerous shoals along the coast. Due to natural sea erosion the lighthouse was in danger of sinking. On June 5, 1999 Master house movers and engineers from all over the US joined forces to slowly move the lighthouse over 2,900 feet. This slow and tedious process took 23 days to move the lighthouse to its current location.
“Your word is a lamp unto my feet and light onto my path.” -Psalms 119:105
“You are the light of the world…let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and praise the Father in Heaven.” Matthew 5:14-15
“He lifted me out of a pit and out of the muck and mire. He set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm foundation”. -Psalms 40:2
“This little light of mine, I’m gonna let it shine. This little light of mine, I’m gonna let it shine.
Let it shine. Let it shine. Let it shine.”
I am thankful to my friends who helped to move this lighthouse from sinking sand to a safer location firmly set on God’s never eroding foundation!
-Amen to that!
~April
“May you and I be mutually encouraged my each other’s faith.” Romans 1:12