acknowledgement

I usually post about fun (to me) snippets of life on this blog. I like writing about such things--don't get me wrong. But there's also a time for more serious and thoughtful matters. Maybe I haven't been writing about such matters because I've been lacking substance as of late. Anyway, from time to time, I'm going to try to write about more personal thoughts.

Lately, I've been realizing that I don't have too many thoughts. I used to have lots of thoughts and curiosities, especially about Jesus and what a purposeful life is. However, these past many months, my mind has become dull.

I picked up a copy of a commentary on 1 Peter (from the Bible) at the Book Thing on Sunday; thus, I decided I would do my Bible reading in 1 Peter for the time being.

1 Peter 1:13 says: Therefore, prepare your minds for action; be self-controlled; set your hope fully on the grace to be given to you when Jesus Christ is revealed.

I am so joyful that the Lord guided my eyes to this book and particular verse; he has a knack for doing such things. This verse was so relevant to my recent worries about the void that is my mind and heart that I wrote the following short journal entry (it is a rare occurrence for me to write in a journal, mind you) that I will share for the purpose of sharing:

I have had very few thoughts these past many months. My mind and my spirit have gone dull as I have slipped further and further from God. It's a snowball effect. The lazier I let my mind become, the less knowledge of God I have, the less passion and interest I have for him, the more I languish in selfishness and the less I love and serve others and live out the Gospel. It's a disaster, if you want to know the truth. I get stuck into a rut out of which it seems impossible to escape. I need to sharpen my mind so I can know God and acknowledge him, so that my perspective is based on his grace and not on my own comforts. Only when I know Christ and share a deep fellowship with him can I truly live for him. I need to know him first!

I found this quotation from the book The Practice of the Presence of God by Brother Lawrence (which I read last year and recommend to all) in an earlier journal entry, which is also very relevant. He said, "We must know before we love, and to know God we must often think of him. And when we love him, we shall think of him all the more, for our heart is where our treasure is."

My favorite Bible verse is Hosea 6:3 "Let us acknowledge the Lord. Let us press on to acknowledge him." I covet your prayers for renewed discipline to truly know God, and pray for the same for you all.