Don’t Perseverate, Ponder with the Lord
After you experience conflict with someone – how do you handle it? Do you let things go, believing they will work themselves out in the course of your relationship? Do you analyze the situation, and consider what you might do to address the problems? Or are you someone who replays the situation again and again in your mind?
Some people find themselves locked in a cycle of perseverating. They incessantly repeat the situation over and over in their minds. It’s a kind of uncontrollable response to a situation that may be long past. The conflicting stimulus is gone, but the cycle of repetition continues. The difficulty with this pattern is that it rarely brings relief; it usually increases feelings of anxiety. It often includes expressions of self-justification, accusation and judgment. These rehearsals rarely achieve any lasting sense of peace.
It’s good to consider your ways. It is good to review your days. But, don’t do it alone! Reflect on your life in the presence of the Lord. Ponder your ways with Him. Allow His Word to inform your understanding of yourself and your circumstances. Pray to God about the situation and seek His counsel. You will find that if you include Jesus in the conversation in your mind, it will change the direction of your thinking. The cycles and perseveration will cease. Your relationship with God will deepen. You will develop a sense of direction; and you will be able to move on.
When the apostle Paul was instructing Timothy he wrote, “Reflect on what I am saying, for the Lord will give you insight into all this.” (1Timothy 2:7) Wisdom is found at the intersection of God’s truth and life’s circumstances. When we include God in our reflections, and ask for His insights, He will instruct us and empower us in His ways. It is often when we seek God’s insight amidst our difficulties that we gain His life-changing wisdom. Proverbs 2-4 describes the benefits of setting our hearts to attain wisdom throughout our lives. “She [Wisdom] is a tree of life to those who embrace her; those who lay hold of her will be blessed.” (Proverbs 3:18)
The next time you find yourself falling into a pattern of perseveration, stop and invite the Lord into your internal dialogue, and ask Him for His insights. You will grow in wisdom and understanding, and your repetitive obsessions will soon dissolve.
Pondering with you,
