What You’re Entertaining

They say it’s harmless.

They say there’s nothing to it. It’s just a bit of fun they say. That works for them. Apparently ignorance is bliss, so what they don’t know won’t hurt them.

Meanwhile that which they entertain makes subtle incisions into the mindset. Perhaps some things that were clearly unacceptable appear to be a little more reasonable. Maybe certain attitudes that were deemed counterproductive and dangerous, could be tolerated.

It is never an overnight thing. It’s not an overt suggestion that wrong is right. It’s slight, it’s progressive and it’s all because of what you’re entertaining.

You are the host after all. That which comes across your mind and settles there is down to you as the host. You can greet it and let it take up a seat in the home of your mind. Alternatively you as the the host can get hostile and evict it. As it comes across you, there’s the chance for it to decorate the interior of your soul. That can leave a fresh and engaging and innovative decor, or one that is only leading to decay, delusion and defeat.

It never fails to baffle me what people entertain. Thoughts that were sown years ago of failure. Thoughts from a lifetime ago that they would never succeed. Thoughts from a bygone era that the juicy gossip wouldn’t hurt anyone. All of these entertained and evidently now so much that they really are a part of the furniture.

That’s why it’s good to come alongside someone who can highlight just how bad the state of the inner mind space because of those distracting and destructive thoughts. It’s good to have someone highlight them and then its the effort to not only get rid of these thoughts, but to take a hostile approach to how they hope to come in again under various guises.

It’s not just about what to get rid of – it’s as much what to replace it with. You don’t find alternative fixtures and don’t be surprised to see some of the old familiar favourites coming back in and indeed make matters worse than they were when they started.

The thoughts of today are not the only ones on offer to entertain. They may not even be the best ones or equally importantly, the right ones.

It might help avoid occasions of that which appears harmless causing great damage.

(Photo by Kyle Loftus on Unsplash)

For His Name’s Sake

Shalom

C. L. J. Dryden