It Comes From a Different Place....

The following quote...which loosely ties in with the quote from yesterday...is from the Starcke interview.

Nowadays when I say to people that "my guidance" tells me something, they ask what I mean by that. I say it's like any other thought, but it comes from a different place inside of me.

The intuition is infallible, and learning to pay attention to it has changed my life.

I like this line...It's not a thought I think; it's a thought I hear. I've heard those thoughts too. The still, small voice?  Sometimes when I am fuming at someone...totally pissed....out of the blue, I am aware of at least some aspect of their point of view.  I've even said...aloud....to God, "I don't care.  I'm still mad!!!" 

I've got to be careful "listening" to the voice...because I have to discern whether it is the voice of God within...or the voices of my vain imaginations that seem to be a part of my genetic makeup.  I come from a long line of worriers, fretters and stewers.  I am the Princess of the Worst Case Scenario (my mom is the Queen) and the "what if" questions often flood my brain.  About my kids, about finances, about everyday situations, about global strife, the economy, the year 2012, my health. 

I have a routine medical test coming up.  Well, it should be routine.  I put it off until there were a few issues that prompted me to make arrangements right away.  I think, perhaps, in the past, I might have let my imagination get the better of me.  Strangely, I am not really freaking out or anything.  Dreading it yes...but not imagining every nuance of a worst case scenario outcome. 

A few years ago, I had a pap test that came back abnormal.  I had been having other problems for quite a while so my doctor ordered a D and C...under general anesthesia.  I fretted.  I was scared to death.  Keith reminded me of the verse that talks about casting down vain imaginations and taking every thought captive.  He gave it a different spin as in the vain imaginations just might be those "gloom, despair and agony on me" thoughts that were running rampant in my head.  He also sent me a really great prayer at work...via email. It helped a lot. 

The verse that talks about vain imaginations is 2 Corinthians 10:5.  Following are a few renderings from several different translations. 

Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;  (KJV)

Putting an end to reasonings, and every high thing which is lifted up against the knowledge of God, and causing every thought to come under the authority of Christ; (BBE)

When we pull down, calculations, and every height that uplifteth itself against the knowledge of God, and when we bring into captivity every thought unto the obedience of the Christ, (Emph)

And with its characteristic "tell it like it is" translation style, The Message says the following...

We use our powerful God-tools for smashing warped philosophies, tearing down barriers erected against the truth of God, fitting every loose thought and emotion and impulse into the structure of life shaped by Christ. (MSG)

This post (surprise, surprise) kind of meandered off topic.  More on this tomorrow...