My Discovery through Reflection - Orange...{Finding Sanctuary - Part 15}

Named "perception" because so much of what we believe (and what we pattern our behavior and thinking after) depends on what we perceive...is our perception clear or distorted?

Have you spend you time with God - Is your plan to follow becoming more clear?  Don't let your mind stay stuck in the same condition as the picture above...you can keep going back to God for fine-tuning of the plan, but take the first step today to implement what He has shown you..Try!  Write the vision, run with it - find someone to talk to about what you have discovered, how you plan on proceeding forward (this will keep that RAS in your brain motivated - {smiling}) .  Coming tomorrow, a list of some considerations to help you hear His plan...

My Reflection Journaling - Summary thoughts:
{Beginning with Orange} -The definition of control is:

• a) to exercise restraining or directing influence over
• b) to have power over
• c) to reduce the incidence or severity of, especially to innocuous levels

*Control is the opposite of flowing and free.  It is damaging to others because it doesn't allow them to be themselves. But definition "c" has a positive aspect to it...I can understand how "control for good motivation" can eventually result in damaging actions, thoughts, words...
*Control based on fear doesn't allow for flexibility in my heart or in others' hearts
* Some shame based thinking connects here...
* Control really is based on a lack of trust: in Him and His promises that I can and will hear Him and walk according to His ways (I realize that is what the word "unfaithful" means in my mind map...also it reveals a pocket of unbelief in my heart...when I don't believe He can really change my heart, that I can really learn His ways, that is unbelief at work...and results in me taking back control of my life...and trying to control others...I realize this is a root, which can also masquerade as a false type of humility - but when I find I am back in the controlling mode, I can confess unbelief, and already being in His embrace, evaluate where (and why) I stepped away from walking with Him and took control, and having been restored, continue walking in the Spirit... 

Writing this post is the third time I have visited this "orange" part of the mind map, and this last asterisk is new insight as I write.  The italicized portion will definitely have a color assigned to it to add to my weaving...probably the color orange so that I can relate it back to this journaling!

And, I will end this post, as I believe it is enough to chew on for a few hours!  And probably enough for you, too!
   
Older posts in this series: 
The Journey begins  
A new tool, part 2
A new tool, part 3 
A new tool, part 4 
A Soft Answer, part 5  
How do We Step Into and Out of Anger? part 6
A Time for Reflection, part 7 

My Mind Map and Thoughts, part 8  
Color a Prayer, part 9 
Using the Mind-Map to Build a Personal Art Piece, part 10 

Building a Personal Art Piece - Stage II, part 11
Building a Personal Art Piece - Stage III, part 12 
Getting Specific with a Plan of Action, part 13
Sharing My Work, part 14