Therefore, having these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.
2 Corinthians 7:1 NKJV
My guide dog, Iva and I have matching glowworm green rain coats, but on this particular day, I decided to grab an umbrella. We were going to a speaking event, and I wanted to keep my skirt dry.
Iva had plenty room under the wide two-person umbrella, but she didn’t seem to mind getting wet while I stayed perfectly dry.
Sometimes, we walk outside of God’s protective umbrella. We don’t care, or we doubt we need it. When we remove ourselves from His covering, we choose to forsake some of our privileges as sons and daughters. When we make the choice to walk outside the covering of God, we get wet with the world’s junk.
In the previous chapter, God commanded us to be separate from the world (2 Cor. 6:16). He wants us close to Him and far from the world. When we venture closer to the world, we aren’t walking under God’s umbrella any longer.
God didn’t move. The umbrella didn’t move. We did.
Our minds are exposed to filth and negativity continually. Television and the internet invade our thoughts daily with ungodliness, so let’s look at some garbage we might have forgotten to clean up.
If you watch the news, you will hear the tone of discouragement. Leave it on in the background while you fix dinner, and you will find the raindrops of gloom collecting on your shoulders.
Fear trickles into our thoughts, but God has commanded us not to fear throughout Scripture. Fear is an affront to God. It says we don’t trust Him. When have we cleansed our minds from fear?
What about worry? Again, we have been commanded not to worry, but everyone else does it, so why not? Worry says God cannot properly provide for us. When was the last time we chose to trust God and not worry?
The promises Paul refers to in our focal verse are located in the previous chapter:
“I will be a Father to you,
And you shall be My sons and daughters,
Says the Lord Almighty.” )2 Cor. 6:18 NKJV)
Why is Paul placing conditions on God being our Father? That has already transpired. God wants us under His umbrella, so He can shelter us as a protective Father. However, we often stray into the rain. Is that why our hearts ache with anxiety? We are exposed to worldly thinking instead of godly truth. Is that why fear and worry rule our spirit?
When we cleanse our minds of stinking thinking, we will feel at peace. Until we learn to stay under His covering, we will continue in our same ruts. Let’s choose to live the abundant life Jesus promised, staying out of the rain and underneath the umbrella.
Heavenly Father, help us discern everything that enters our minds. Help us take out the trash for a healthier thought life. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
DIG DEEPER
Read 2 Corinthians 10:3-6HIKING THE TRAIL
What are your sources of discouragement, worry, and fear? How can you turn the volume down on them?
An additional resource on handling discouragement, fear, and worry is Carolyn’s new book:
Eyes of Faith: Winning the Battle Between Our Feelings and Our Faith
Originally posted on September 19, 2020 @ 2:35 pm
Thank you for this post- it is something I really needed to hear. I have been thinking about it for days, and now I am positive. I do not like to watch the news and have recently abandoned social media as I felt these platforms reverberate with unbelief, blatant disregard,angst and deep cynicism. There is nothing uplifting contained in most media (except perhaps a small feel-good segment that lasts thirty seconds or so at the end of a broadcast). You wrote about fear and said even the news on in the background (I tried this too, not watching, just having it on while doing other things), and I must say I agree, as I have found that it does still seep into me, without notice- like your perfect analogy -raindrops of gloom, sitting on my shoulders. I think there is enough downright filth, persecution and negativity in this world, surely we don’t need to go actively seeking it and exposing ourselves to it willingly. By definition, it is self harm. I’m choosing to be out of the rain and under the umbrella. Thank you again for this gem of a post
Praise God that my words were used by Him to confirm what you already knew. God bless you. I will be praying for you as you and I both fill our minds with God’s Word.