Being Watchful:

I love the dogs in my life!  My parents own three dogs.  One of the dogs in my life is  Rollins, which is a Vizsla.  This dog loves to do a lot of things-run, play, snuggle, and look out the window.  He loves to sit in front of the windows and watch the outdoors.  It is amazing how long he can just sit there watching the same scene.  We often don’t know what he is looking at.  We, as humans, don’t see the exciting events that are on the outside.  I know that Rollins is focused on the small things that we as humans will often overlook.  Watching that dog stare out the window made me realize that we often don’t take the time to look around us and be watchful.  I don’t always take the time to take in the world around me, whether this be with the people I am with that day or with the way God has been working around and through me. 

I believe that as Christians, we should be watchful.  It is important that we take the time to be like my good ole watchdog, Rollins.  I believe there are two ways that we as Christians should be watchful:  

• The first is to focus our energy on the positive and the work that is being done by the Lord, not as focused on the negative items that are happening in our lives. The energy and thoughts should be significantly shifted more towards the positive than the negative. 

• Then the second is to be watchful of the distractions and the temptations that we are letting into our lives.  The distractions and the temptations can ultimately harm us in this life and take us farther away from the Lord.

I have heard many times that it is so much easier for our brains to focus on the negative.  Our brains are sadly wired to remember our traumatic experiences and to struggle through forgiveness.  I was recently reading a book called, “Get out of your head,” by Jennie Allen.  This whole book talked about anxiety and the toxic thoughts that we as humans can often fall into and how we can, through Jesus Christ, overcome those thoughts.  One quote from this novel that she found through her research is “The average person has more than thirty thousand thoughts per day.  Of those, so many are negative that, ‘according to researchers, the vast majority of the illnesses that plague us today are a direct result of a toxic thought life.’”  How sad is that?!  Our thoughts are literally, not just figuratively making us sick.  

So how do we as simple humans start to focus our minds more on the positive.  I will say again that the book, “Get out of your Head,” really gave some ideas on how to best focus our minds on the positive.  This book talked about the importance of changing our minds once they start.  I know that may sound simple, but deciding to stop the bad thoughts once they start coming through your mind, can be easier to control than later.  Once we let a negative or a toxic thought start and fester, it can continue to make our mind spiral.  The goal is to stop the thoughts before the spiral begins.  

The next way that I try to focus my mind on the positive is through my joy journal.  I love keeping a joy/gratitude journal.    These are not just items that I am grateful for, while that is a part, but it is actual moments that bring me joy.  Some examples that have been in my joy journal are “My Spanish II students doing really well on their verbal presentations,” or “seeing a mom and son playing basketball together at the gym” to even “It was so sunny outside today, and I enjoyed the way I felt on my run this morning.”  I highly recommend starting your own joy journal.  I do believe that it is a very healthy step on a way to becoming aware of all the good things that are around and in your life.  

The second reason we should be watchful is because of the temptations that can plague our world.  Satan is like a thief, constantly hunting for someone to hurt.  This is probably why negative thoughts plague our society so easily. I know that sounds intense, but that is even how he is described in the Bible.  John 10:10a says this perfectly, “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy;” That is the evil one.  This is the one that we are constantly going up against.  He is a thief who wants to steal our joy, kill our faith, and destroy our relationship with God.  We must constantly be aware of the temptations that are plaguing our life. It is not easy to go up against our temptations.  Every single person in the Bible had moments where they struggled through their particular temptation.  Even Jesus himself went through temptations.  Jesus is the only one who didn’t falter, but it was definitely not described as a walk in the park.  

I think it is important that we first acknowledge what our biggest temptations could be.  What are the things that make you, in particular, stutter or fall? I will be honest that some of my biggest temptations usually fall with my mouth.  My words can get me into trouble, especially when I am frustrated by someone or something.  Acknowledging those items, definitely can make it easier to fight against.  Then the second piece of advice I have is to have some memorized verses ready to go when it comes to fighting those very same temptations.  Being able to combat the temptations with God’s Word, will definitely save you amidst the fight.  

A good memory verse to start with, is John 10:10.  While the beginning was not the most positive and happy, there is a wonderful and loving second piece in John 10:10 that says, “I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.”  This is the relationship that we have with God.  Through God, we are able to see life and all the joy and the goodness that it is supposed to bring us.  Through him, we can be aware of the harms that come from the enemy.  Through him, we can have complete love forever. Just as my dog longs to look out the window, I want each of us to long to look towards Jesus Christ and his love for us.