Yesterday a friend sent me a message after reading yesterday’s journaling. Here’s our conversation:
Friend: Your posts definitely make one think… what one does with that is up to them. You have no reason to ‘feel bad’.
Me: Thanks. 🙂 They make me think too. Lol
Friend: Thinking is good. I believe that too many problems in this world start with people acting without thinking.
Me: Amen!
Then he messaged me and said, “Maybe you can do a blog post on that topic “acting without thinking”.”
I’m thinking…Yes! That sounds like a great idea, when God is ready for me to write it. Thanks, Mark, for the idea. J
Then in 2 Corinthians 8 today it was talking about giving. In verse 11 it says, “I think you should finish what you started. If you give according to what you have, you will prove that you are as eager to give as you were to think about giving.” Looks like there’s a lot of “thinking” going on and “action” is needed. Another translation says, “But now finish doing it also, so that just as there was the readiness to desire it, so there may be also the completion of it by your ability.”
I had to reread this several times in different versions to wrap my brain around it so that I could write about it, but I’m “thinking” that… many people (me included) often “think” about doing something, but don’t always put the thought into action.
I sit here in my comfy chair now looking at a stack of old computer discs and copy paper that I removed from a cabinet a few weeks ago. The cabinet is now being used elsewhere, but the “stack of stuff” is just sitting down on another chair waiting to find a new home. I think about putting it all somewhere, but I haven’t acted upon it.
Then, just the opposite occurred this weekend when I said out loud, “Next weekend we need to go through all the magazines in our home and get rid of the hoard of “Island”, “Southern & Coastal Living”, & “Saltwater Fishing” magazines.” Well, I didn’t wait until the following weekend; I sat down and started chunking those magazines to be recycled right away. What happened? I put my “out loud” thought into action.
Then, there are times when people complain and fuss about something, but do nothing about it. Here’s my opinion (even though you didn’t’ ask for it)…If you are going to complain about something, and you have the ability to make a difference, then do so! Try to solve the problem or put your big girl or boy pants on and deal with it.
For example, if your tummy needs to be toned and you’re not doing anything about it, then don’t complain. But, if you are working at it and not seeing any results, chat all you want about it and work harder.
That was a simple example, but I’m sure you can apply it to any area in your life.
So whether it is “thinking” about toning up, giving to the church or another ministry, ridding yourself from a bad relationship, etc., stop “thinking” and get busy “doing”.
Blessings to you.
Here’s another version of 2 Corinthians 8:11, “Your heart’s been in the right place all along. You’ve got what it takes to finish it up, so go to it. Once the commitment is clear, you do what you can, not what you can’t.”
September 20, “Walking in the Word”