When there is too much going on our brains tend to go on overload. I’m the same as everyone else. For me, too many thoughts can compete with good sleep!

Early this morning I heard the Lord interrupt my thoughts with one word.

“Celebrate,” He interjected.  As always, I was intrigued with the word He chose so I looked it up. I learned something.

Celebrate means to honor an occasion by a solemn ceremony or by refraining from ordinary business. It also means to mark something with festivity or other deviation from routine.

Synonyms include to bless, exalt, extol, glorify, magnify, praise and resound.

What brought me up short were the antonyms! These include to break, transgress, or violate! Hmmm, if God had to tell me to celebrate but my mind was ruminating I was transgressing. I was (unintentionally, without understanding) violating His command not to worry or let my mind run amuck. I never saw it that way before. It greatly increased my desire to control my thoughts, which is just an ongoing process for all of us.

God spoke through the Apostle Paul about His healthy boundaries for our minds.

“Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. …whatever is true, honorable, just, pure, lovely, commendable, if there is any excellence or anything worthy of praise, think about these things…practice these things and the God of peace will be with you.”  Philippians 4:6-9

Start with celebrating the fact that you are in relationship with the One True God. Take a “selah” moment to savor this truth.  Then whenever your mind starts roaming bring it back to REST and TRUST in King Jesus.

Shalom Shalom

Kathi