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Spaghetti


When I was in middle school, I attended a conference for young Christian girls that featured a segment on how a girl's brain is like spaghetti, and a boy's brain is like a waffle.  (Shoutout 2007 Revolve Tour). I'm going to argue that we all-guys and girls- have some spaghetti happening in our brains-at least I do.

If you're not familiar with this concept, imagine picking up a big handful of spaghetti-all the noodles are intertwined with each other.  Similarly, our thoughts can be totally different, yet still tangled with each other.  God has designed and allowed our brains to be such powerful things that we have the ability to have a multitude of thoughts and emotions at the same time.  At this time of year, I think these at times opposing emotions can be even more prevalent.

Example from my brain:

Thankful. Waiting. Content. Anxious. Happy. Curious. Expectant. Doubting. Trusting.

And that's just from the last few minutes.

Sometimes I get frustrated with myself for not being able to live in one emotion fully.  Recently, I have had a tremendous season of thankfulness.  Loving my job, my city, and the sweetest people in my life-both new and old.  So then I wonder, how can I be in such a thankful, content season, yet still have daily moments of doubting, anxiety, and yearning to know more about His plan?

Maybe as we are approaching Thanksgiving, things are hard.  Maybe your thoughts are so jumbled, but all focused the hardships you are facing.  Depression, loss, anxiety, hopelessness, and discontentment could be filling your head with chaos and confusion.  How do you approach this season with so much hurt where being thankful seems last on your mind?


Our thoughts so often are about where we are now, and what has to happen to get to our goal.  What has to happen to live in a permanent sense of contentment.  What has to happen to regain happiness.  What we have to do or have to gain to feel how we "should" be feeling.

But what does God say about it?

He says, "Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth." (Psalm 46:10)


 During my Bible study lately, there have been a lot of conversations on a misconception; we tend to dwell on figuring out what we need to do to get to where we think we should be.  What to do to be better, to feel better, to appear better in our walk.  


 God says the thing we aren't good at-be still.  We don't have to do anything-He has lived a perfect life and done the work for us.  But while we are being still, we should have an attitude of praise.  Proverbs 27:19 says As water reflects the face, so one's life reflects the heart.  Instead of focusing on our actions, we need to be still in God's presence.  As our heart becomes more like His, our actions will follow.  Loving the Lord with all of our heart will make our actions truly glorify His kingdom rather than checking off boxes on our to do list.
Our spaghetti brains aren't a shock to God-He created them.  He knows that our brains and our hearts have the ability to think and feel so many things, both positive and negative, because He gave them that ability.  He knows life is hard, and He doesn't hide that from us. He also knows that life can be so sweet that it makes you want to get up and dance-He gave us those feelings as well!

I encourage you to read Ecclesiastes 3 as a refresher of this.  This Thanksgiving you may be in a season of healing and mending.  That's okay.  You may be in a season of laughter or a season of letting go.  All are okay.  With these amazing brains and hearts He has given us, He has also given us the ability to come to Him.

When we are discontent, hopeless, or alone-come to Him.  When we are feeling thankful, overjoyed, and hopeful-come to Him.

Is anyone among you suffering?  Let him pray.  Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing praise.  (James 5:13)

Your emotions are okay-He has given us a lot of them!  But let's use this season to fully surrender our hearts in the hard and the happy days.

Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.  (Psalm 51:10)

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