Monday Reflections...Sometimes my head hurts from thinking

Maybe what I mean is not an actual headache with pain involved and requiring some medication intervention but that my mind is tired from thinking so much.  Sometimes I have trouble sleeping at night because my mind won't stop thinking and pondering about an issue that has arisen.  Something needs to be solved and although my body is calling for much needed sleep, my mind keeps it up with its exercises of mental gymnastics.

I used to joke about solving complex math problems in my sleep.  I would go to bed with arithmetic on my mind and wake up in the morning searching frantically for a pencil and paper to quickly write down the solution before I forgot it.  Again, I probably didn't solve it in my actual sleep but just in a laying down position and coming up with the answer and storing it until the morning.  

The mind is a powerful tool that God has given to us.  As other parts of the body, it can be used for evil or good.  Proverbs chapter 15 and verse 28 says,...

"The mind of the righteous person thinks before answering,

but the mouth of the wicked blurts out evil things."

The Bible makes us think and think hard at times.  Preparation for a Sunday sermon involves a lot of thinking.  What does it say?  What does it mean?  How do I communicate this to the congregation in front of me?  This is a week in and week out exercise that the local pastor goes through.

The local pastor also has the other times that he meets with the congregation like elder, business and ministry meetings.  The mixture of God's family assembled together make my mind think into the night about how to accomplish a task in a Biblical way.  What path brings about Biblical unity even though it might not be understood by all at that moment?  What other interactions and illustrations are needed to convey what God has given to us through His word?  My head or more precisely my brain, thinks hard about the next word or words to glorify God individually and corporately.

I am amazed at those who think deeply about something and are able to convey those thoughts in a way for others to think deeper about that something too.  Rather than give a "tweet" or a cliche' answer through a social media post in the form of a meme, this person develops a line of thought with points, sub points, and relevant references to bring you along to understand the issue fuller.  This is so necessary when we are speaking about God's Word and wading through the abuses of it in the form of proof texting and cherry picking.  The real estate agent says "location, location, location" while the Bible thinker and teacher says, "context, context, context." 

Although it hurts or is tiring, I am trying to think more than I used to.  I am trying to put in the time before opening up my mouth.  Listening is a big part of thinking more.  Writing down my thoughts helps me to think about a more final product to present.  Doing some actual "out loud" thinking with a good friend has benefits.  I told someone this morning in reference to a paper, "That is not the final product.  It is a tool to get us there.  We need to think about it some more."

Let me finish this "thinking" blog post with Romans chapter 8 and verses 5 and 6, which read,

For those who live according to the flesh

have their minds set on the things of the flesh,

but those who live according to the Spirit

have their minds set on the things of the Spirit.

Now the mind-set of the flesh is death,

but the mind-set of the Spirit is life and peace."

May we have some tired minds because we have expended some energy on thinking about God and the instruction He has given to us on how we are to live.  May this hard thinking bring forth out of our mouths words that glorify Him.  They will be drenched in His love while we share His truth with others.  One last thought:  

As I am thinking hard about God, 

am I also thinking hard about others 

with more regard for them 

than I am thinking about myself?

Adam