When You Haven't Had Your Snickers

This week's blog post was written by Liz Elliot.

True confession: My life is a Snickers commercial.  The thing is, I try very hard to keep it inside, but the inner-diva still rages on.  From the time I get up until the time I fall asleep I am a soldier in the battlefield of my mind. And guess what, so do you!

Romans 12:2 says, “Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.”  It’s a process; if I’m not vigilantly standing watch fueled by spiritual sustenance, I am not victorious. 

Let’s look over some of the topics we have discussed in devotions since the beginning of the year: 

• Having humility
• Being servant-hearted
• Being creative
• Being authentic
• Having balance
• Where we go to seek refreshment and renewal
• Focusing on the win

Forgive me if I missed one or two, but as I look at this list I see that since the beginning of the year (and most likely before that) God has tried to shift our thinking.  Every one of those topics are qualities we battle for and are trying to achieve in the war of our hearts and minds.  

As artists when we act like divas or divos (male version, according to Google) sometimes people give us a free pass.  I’ve heard such things as, “Well wouldn’t you expect that kind of behavior from an artist?” or “Isn’t that typical of musicians?”  I’ve literally had those very words spoken to me about this ministry.   

I’m going to unapologetically say that giving emotional artists (and technicians who are artists in their own right) an excuse for their bad behavior is both demeaning and enabling.  I’m going to bring Rory Noland’s thinking about this on Thursday.  The thing is as a Christian we have the mind of Christ (1Cor. 2:16).  So when we act out there’s really no excuse other than to realize our fault and our sin.  And nobody gets a free pass. 

So what do we do when we face our thoughts of pride, self-righteousness, negativity, not seeing ourselves for who we really are, out of balance, off track?  What do we do when we are acting like a diva or a divo?  Take a moment this week and meditate on Psalm51 and see if you can find out what we can do when we haven’t had our Snickers. 

Here are some resources that will help you be victorious in renewing your mind:

Battlefieldof the Mind – Joyce Meyer

TheHeart of The Artist – Rory Noland