Imagination can be a wonderful thing
Every great story blossoms from an idea. So do inventions and adventures and a host of other creations.
If I work hard and persevere, the idea has a chance to become real.
Imagination can also be negative
Thinking about the terrible things that can happen causes real problems.
And if I persevere and dwell on those thoughts long enough, the worst thing of all occurs.
Even if the horrible thing I imagine doesn’t happen, I’ve suffered the pain of it anyway.
Not the smartest or most constructive way to spend my time.
And taken to the extreme, I believe the mental and emotional turmoil can cause physical illness.
What I imagine is a choice
To be healthy, I have to choose which thoughts to keep.
It may not be possible to prevent negative thoughts from popping up, but it is my responsibility to decide if I dwell on them. Act on them.
Every morning, I ask God to direct my thinking and to help me use my brain the way He wants me to use it. I also ask for clear directions about how to deal with negative thinking before it grows and becomes destructive.
But my brain churns out thoughts all day long, so asking for help one time a day is definitely not enough. This is another instance when perseverance is essential.
I keep a running conversation with God throughout the day. With that help, my thoughts can grow into a reality worth living.
How do you help your imagination grow into a positive reality?
Imagination is the Childhood of Reality – How do you help your imagination grow into a positive reality? Share on XJoni Vance is an award-winning author of fiction, essay, and poetry. She loves mystery, history, and how God reveals Himself every day.
May God reveal the mystery of His love in your life story.
Great reminder Joni! Thank you for sharing this.
Thanks for reading and commenting. Appreciate your blogs and great thoughts as well.
Wow! Another helpful blogpost.
My mind is like a washing machine, churning and spinning and swooshing, ha ha. Like you, I am learning more and more to turn all those out of control thoughts and emotions over to God.
Another thing I ask myself is… what one thing should I be focusing on right now. Finish it. Then go to the next thing… instead of spinning my wheels over the overwhelming amount of things that need to be done. That works out pretty well, especially when I include God in all the decision making:)
Great comments! Yes, it is a good reminder that I focus on the task at hand, then move to the next one. My list of a gajillion things swirls around and I need to do one, then the next, etc.