Mind Games

I've played and watched many a game of baseball in my life without ever really pondering the single most important element of the game-the baseball. Well, I've got my hacksaw in one hand and the ball in the other and I'm going to find out exactly what makes that little thing so hard and durable. (Sawing going on) It looks to my untrained eye like the core consists of a cork and rubber material wrapped in wool and yarn, covered by stitched cowhide or something that is supposed to look like it.

Unless we're watching the movie, The Natural, we never think about the inside of a baseball. We just enjoy the game. In the same way, as we deal with people throughout our lives, we rarely are able to get past the external chit-chat and superficial smiles and really understand the battles and the pain which goes on in their minds. And sometimes when we do get in there, it ain't too pretty!

It was my 8th grade year and a few rowdy and bored classmates swiped a girl's diary off her desk. As she returned from the restroom, they began reading personal entries, letting the entire class know of her secret crushes and private thoughts. The girl let our a scream that caused the boys to stop in their tracks. She darted to where they stood, snatched the diary and ran from the room in tears. It was awkward to even look her in the eyes for about a week.

Why are we so protective of our thoughts? Why do we guard ourselves so carefully? I believe we are terrified of the wild and random thoughts that go through our head and we realize that we would be rejected and ridiculed if they were ever known, just like the classmate in the 8th grade.

Proverbs 4:23 tells us, Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of life. In scripture, the heart refers to the mind, emotions, and will. It the inner us-under the hood. What happens deep inside us can shape our entire lives. It must be guarded above all else! Satan loves for us to dwell on the lies and fantasies he puts into our minds. He wants us to believe those lies in our head and waste our time in worthless mind games rather than receive God's acceptance, follow God's will, and make an impact for His kingdom.