Have you ever stuck your hand in water and for a microsecond thought it was cold, when, in reality, it was extremely hot? Our brain becomes confused as the receptors in our hands send the wrong message. This odd sensation is referred to as paradoxical cold-a sensation of coldness that is experienced when a warm stimulus touches a cold receptor spot on the skin.
A similar condition happens in our brains all the time. I'll call it paradoxical pleasure. Our minds are bombarded every second with impulses, images, and emotions which seem to come out of nowhere. Random thoughts and memories which bring us pleasure will, in the end, just confuse us, hurt us and those we love while leaving us damaged goods.
I hate birds! They are nasty, dirty, detestable! I've had a few bad experiences with these flying freaks which has not helped my feelings toward them. There was once on the beach at South Padre Island, Texas. I was laying on the beach, soaking in some rays-minding my own business when a bird decides to do his business on my face!
A few years later our family was attempting to enjoy a nice, quiet lunch at Mexico Beach, Florida when an entire legion of seagulls attacked us. No amount of throwing sand, yelling, arm waving, name calling, and chasing would discourage the soaring scavengers. We finally gave up and made a run for the beach house.
An ancient proverb says, "You can't stop the birds from flying over your head (or pooping on your face), but don't let them nest in your hair." I would say Amen to that!
We can't allow paradoxical pleasure to take up residence in our minds. Our minds will take on the colors of whatever we soak in. As we allow sinful thoughts, fantasies, or accusing words to freely soak, it will alter our lives. Just like a mirror shows our face, a complacent, unchecked mind shows our character, and others will begin to see the real us.
In the book "Every Young Man, God's Man," the author writes, "Sow a thought, reap an action. Sow an action, reap a habit. Sow a habit, reap a character, sow a character, reap a destiny."
We must keep the alertness level of our minds at "Code Read" and fight against the nesting of sinful thoughts. Don't buy the lie of paradoxical pleasure. Jeremiah 17:9 tells us the "The human mind is more deceitful than anything else. It is incurably bad. Who can understand it?" Verse 10 gives the answer to this question-only Yahweh can understand it! He not only understands it, He can save us from a destiny of destruction! Only He brings lasting pleasure!
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