A “Thinking” Chair and Higher Thoughts.

I loved the children’s program “Blue’s Clues”—it was clever, creative and colorful.  I suppose of all of the television programming I watched while raising four children, it was my favorite!  Steve, the main character on the program, had a place he went to think—a favorite over-stuffed dark red chair—which he affectionately called his thinking chair.  I think Steve was on to something . . . do you have a thinking chair?  Do you have a place to go and just think—especially to think creative thoughts, to be focused?  I do.  In my little downstairs office, with books on every wall . . .I have a daybed with a pink quilt that my dear mother gave me, and a bunch of pillows.  I can open the window, feel a soft breeze, and just ‘be’ or think or write or pray or study—almost without distraction—and it is oh, so lovely.  Your ‘thinking place’ could be in your car while you commute, or the beach … doesn’t matter, just turn off the noise . . . Find a place where you can think, and capture your thoughts and ideas by writing them down.

Our discussions about bettering our thinking have suggested—asking good questions, reading new material, getting around good thinkers, replacing our errant thoughts with positive ones … are there other ideas?  Yes!

Sharpen your mind, boost your brainpower through >memorization.  Most times, when I reference Scripture verses within the context of the Morning Briefings, I have recalled them from my mind, heavenly treasures I have stored within.  When I do not have the words exactly right, I have enough to be able to search out the rest of the verse and locate it in my Bible.  David said, ‘Your word I have hidden in my heart [memorized] that I might not sin against you.’1

Did you know your brain can basically reshape itself, and form new neural pathways, by exercising the memory?2  Besides, once something is committed to your memory, no one can take it away from you—ever.  Alzheimer’s?  Well, would you be surprised to know that exercising your brain, which includes memorization, staves off Alzheimer’s and dementia?

A couple other brain-sharpening ideas in brief: >learn a new language, >take an art class, >learn to play a musical instrument, >take up a new sport … all of these force your brain to work in new ways, and release creativity.  Remember, you were made in God’s image,3 so of course, you are creative!  And might I ask you--what piques your imagination—is it art or music or literature?  “It is possible imagination is more important than knowledge.”4  who said that? see end note

And now the highest form of growing your mind --- learn to think God’s thoughts after him.  (This phrase was lodged in mind from some reading I did.)  Honestly, the whole notion of thinking God’s thoughts after him has me riveted!  Of course, it is the ultimate in thinking.  After all, God is omniscient—he possesses all knowledge, he knows everything perfectly and eternally—all things which can be known, past, present, and future …whoa. 

Where to start with learning to think God’s thoughts?  Hmmm… well, let’s think about it.  First of course would be our acknowledgment that, as he said, “My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the Lord.  “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.”5   Beginning with the understanding that he is God and we are not--we put the highest value on his thinking and ways … and well, want to know them!  As one very intelligent person said, “I want to know God’s thoughts…. the rest are details.”  Who said that?6  

In the beginning, God … and since the creation of the world, God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made.7  Ponder, study the Creator, and who he is, what he is like.

How to know God’s mind?  Get to know his Son.  How to know God’s thoughts?  Read the printed Word of God—his love letter to us, and communicate with him—pray.  Talk to him, and ask him to speak to you.  Listen.  Create space for him to inhabit with you.  Long to feel his presence.  ‘He will be found by you when you seek him with all your heart.’8   Invite God to meet you at your ‘thinking chair’.  Let’s seek to think God’s thoughts after him for they are the highest of thoughts.

Training of any kind that is worthwhile is hard work; yet, people will train for two years to run a marathon.  Paul got that.  “I discipline my body like an athlete, training it to do what it should…”9   Hmmm . . . somehow training our bodies is much more popular in our culture than training our minds.  To be sure, training the mind takes discipline, but the effort is more than worthwhile!  Becoming a good thinker isn’t overly complicated, but yes, it is a discipline; as such, it must be cultivated and refined.  I love the word and the notion of discipline, for it paves the way for us to become who we were meant to be. 

Go to your thinking chair and think about that!

Christine

podcast: 

1 Psalm 119.11

2 Helpguide.com, “How to Improve your Memory” – a great article which captures what I have studied on the value of memorization

3  Albert Einstein

4  Genesis 1.26-27

5 Isaiah 55.8-9

6 Also Albert Einstein!

7 Romans 1.20

8 Jeremiah 29.13