Have you ever thought about your mental movie - where did it come from, why do I have it, what do I do with it? Let me explain what I mean when I talk about your mental movie. You know those times when you visualize in your mind what you believe will happen in the future. Remember when you were younger and you would visualize all the things you would do on vacation before you went? Or how about the perfect Christmas gift that you were dreaming about? Or even a proposal, you would imagine everything about that night so it could be perfect. That is what I mean when I say, "Mental movie".
Now I believe that a mental movie is a gift from God. This is one thing that makes us different from the rest of creation. God gave us creativity and imaginations which makes us different even from each other. But just like everything else, our mental movie can be used how God designed it, or by our own desires. If we use our mental movies for God, He attaches faith to it which promotes joy, hope, and peace. But if we use them for our own gain, then the future brings frustration and even anger. I want to use the next couple of days to explore how we are to use our mental movies to bring peace in our lives about the future.
To assist us with this we will be using the example of Jonah. Remember Jonah? He was the one who God told to go to Nineveh, instead he set sail for Tarsus. On the way he encountered a storm, was in the belly of a great fish for three days, was spit up on dry ground, and eventually did go to Nineveh. I believe Jonah is a perfect example on a man who allowed his mental movie to dictate his feelings about the future. After Jonah played the mental movie that Nineveh was going to burn, he sat up on a hill to watch the fireworks. After God says that He would not destroy Nineveh because they repented, this is what Jonah says:
But it displeased Jonah exceedingly, and he became angry... Therefore now, O Lord, please take my life from me, for it is better for me to die than to live! Jonah 4:1,3
I believe there are five things we must learn from Jonah if we do not want our mental movies to drive us to despair. I know this post is long, so we will begin discussing it tomorrow. Look through Jonah 4 and see if you can discover some today.
2 comments:
Thanks Mike. I was drawn to your website when the words "mental movie" suddenly flashed in my mind, and I had to Google them. That's how I found your blog.
I am facing financial difficulties and am expecting a miracle. So the inhabitant within wanted me to come here.
I will return here to tell you in the near future how that miracle unfolds.
Unlimited blessings from God.
Aime.
The first miracle happened 2 days ago on 2/27. My bank was going to start foreclosure proceedings when a client who had owned me money for a long time called me and paid EXACTLY the amount I needed (except for the late fees (which I forgot to put in my mental movies!). But the bank accepted the payments.
I am not out of the woods yet, but your principle works!
Now I need a job (i lost a job a few months ago)to permanently dissolve my financial woes, and I am running my mental movies.
Thanks Mike.
Aime in California
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