We have no control over the thoughts that float up into our consciousness. What we do have control of, and must exercise, is what we do when we become aware of the thought. No one knows what triggers the seemingly random thoughts that float into our consciousness, perhaps it is a smell, a taste, a song on the radio, a blue Volkswagen driving by, no one really knows and most importantly it matters little. What matters is the action taken when a discordant or negative thought surfaces. Dr. Fox uses the analogy of an ember from a campfire. If we are sitting by a campfire and a burning ember floats up and lands on our sleeve, if we brush it off immediately no real harm is done. However if we wait a moment to contemplate it, the shirt is ruined and have a painful welt on our arm to mark the decision. We must stay vigilant for those “burning ember” thoughts. As soon as we become aware of one, we turn immediately to God and ask Him to direct our thinking. The wording of the prayer is of course optional, but the timing isn’t. So many make the mistake of trying to figure out why the thought crossed their mind. Not only failing to brush it off with Divine help but nurturing and feeding it fuel by continuing to try to figure it out, as if knowing why will do anything to remove the discomfort and pain their ruminations are causing. Why is the booby prize.
boo·by prize : n
(plural boo·by priz·es)
loser’s prize: a prize given as a joke to the person or team coming last in a competition
If a small fire started in your home would you stand there watching the fire wondering why it started or would you act to put it out, before any serious damage was done? Yet we do this very thing in the only dwelling that really matters, our consciousness, when we entertain these destructive thoughts as our serenity and peace of mind burn in the fires of morbid reflection. Stay vigilant and let God be your fireman.
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