The Things That Bug Me

I seem to have a bug theme going on this week, but I guess that's not too unusual for summertime in South Carolina.  After all, as soon as it starts to get warm around here, the bugs come out like crazy.  I hate bugs!

I am especially loathing a particular bee-like insect who has made it its soul purpose in life to annoy and distract me during my morning prayer walks.  These bugs are just downright irritating.  I'm walking along, minding my own business, talking with the Lord, and here they come, buzzing around my head, landing on my face and neck.  I shoo them, and they fly off only to return a second later with more of their buddies.  Even my essential oil bug repellent doesn't deter these party crashers.  And unfortunately, their annoyance and distraction turns my morning time of solace into a major irritation.  All I can think about is how much I want to get away from those pesky critters and how I long for them to leave me alone.

Negative thoughts seem to pester me the exact same way.  No matter the time of day, they buzz around me, landing in my mind and heart.  Their constant buzzing blocks out the voice of the Lord.  Their constant movement around me distracts me from my walk.  And their determination aggravates the snot out of me and typically leads me into a place of major irritation.  No matter how much I try to shoo them away, they only return a few seconds later with more of their buddies.  And all I can think about is how much I want to get away from those pesky critters and how I long for them to leave me alone.

But in doing so, I am not accomplishing what I'm supposed to do.  I'm distracted and irritated, and I'm certainly not thinking on the things listed in Philippians 4:8.  Those pesky little irritants have me distracted to the point that I'm ready to call off the walk altogether rather than to put up with their constant annoyance.  Not good!

A couple of days ago, I thought I'd find out what happened with these bee-like creatures if, instead of shooing them, I caught them.  You know what?  They didn't like it too much and eventually, they left me alone.  Granted, I had to deal with another batch the next day, but at least I knew how to fight against their invasion.

Thankfully, I can approach my negative thoughts in the same way.  Instead of simply trying to shoo them away, I can grab hold of them and actually deal with them like it says in II Corinthians 10:5: Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;  Did you catch that?  Bringing into captivity, not shooing away every thought.  Shooing won't work.  Wishing the thoughts away won't either. The only way to rid myself of those pesky, annoying thoughts is to turn them over to Jesus and let Him deal with them.  And then, the walk will be so much sweeter. . .and so will my attitude.