“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways my ways, says the Lord. For as the Heavens are higher than the Earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts higher than your thoughts.”
Isaiah 55:8-9
Notes for Contemplation as You Use this Devotional:
- This wisdom from the Prophet Isaiah comes from the section sometimes titled, “An Invitation to an Abundant Life.” It advises us to cultivate the heavenly or illumined spiritual consciousness (mindset) revealed through our intuition, the still, small voice of God within.
- Thoughts are formative, creative things that have energy attached to them. This energy follows our thoughts, so our experiences and circumstances—the ways we choose to live and behave—develop based on what we think.
- Illumined thoughts are activated when we extend our thinking beyond any struggle or difficulty. According to a 2013 Vanderbilt University Center for Teaching article by Nancy Chick, metacognition (meta, meaning beyond, and cognition, meaning the mental aspects of knowing) helps us understand our thought process so we can think expansively.
- Scholars Anat Zohar and Adi Ben David call metacognition “Higher Order Thinking” because it helps us assess situations, evaluate strengths and weaknesses, and recognize possibilities. This makes us active, engaged thinkers. For example, instead of thinking something like, “I tried. It doesn’t work. I can’t get over it,” we can think, “I can put this into a larger context,” or “I see my growth in this,” or “I have other options available.”
- Metacognition is a form of discernment. It’s spiritually opening ourselves to think as we imagine God, Jesus, or our favorite spiritual master would, from an illumined perspective. Then, we can more easily hear and heed the still, small voice of our intuition.
- In his essay, “You Are a Mental Being,” Metaphysician Emmet Fox explains that it’s “foolish . . . for you to endeavor . . . to improve your conditions by altering your environment while leaving your mind unchanged. To attempt this is to attempt the impossible and . . . doom yourself to failure and disappointment.”
- Demonstration is your evidence of what works in your life. So, if something isn’t working, you must transform your thinking. Just altering your environment, moving to a new city, dating a different person, etc., won’t work if you still think about yourself and your life as you always have and if you ignore your intuitive guidance.
Contemplation Questions:
As you reflect on your life and circumstances, ask yourself:
- What are my current thoughts about:
- myself?
- finances?
- health and well-being?
- home?
- leisure and play?
- relationships?
- work/retirement?
- For each aspect of your life, list, word map, or illustrate your thoughts. Add additional categories for things like education, politics, or social causes if these are important to you.
- When I contemplate all my thoughts, which are positive and which are negative?
- Mark P for positive and N for negative beside each thought.
- When I contemplate the negative thoughts, in what ways can I illuminate or eliminate them?
- List, word map, or illustrate as many ways as you can.
- When I contemplate the positive thoughts, in what ways do they honor my intuition and support me in transforming my life?
- List, word map, or illustrate as many ways as you can.
Depending on your circumstances, you may not be able to control much or effect change right away. But remember that you can control your thoughts and adjust yourself accordingly. So, as you use this devotional, be gentle with yourself. Even if you’ve gotten into a mess, you can get yourself out of it by changing what you think. Listen to your intuition, and let it help you discern whatever is best now.
© 2023 – Rev Jennifer L. Sacks – All rights reserved.
Photo from Shutterstock by Gelner Tivadar.
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