This is a repost from 2017 that I still think is very timely:
This morning, I got to thinking about a wonderful verse in Ephesians:
18 The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints, Ephesians 1:18
It had popped into my head when I was pondering a phone conversation I recently had with someone when she called me back after I left a message to have her call me. When she called back, she immediately started talking to me about something I had no idea about. All I could figure out was that she was worried about what I was thinking in regards to something that she was handling. It was not what I was thinking about at all! When I realized what was going on and a significant pause opened up, I stopped her and explained what I wanted and assured her that my brain had not gone that way. In the end each of us was blessed. It is great for relationships to work things out like this when there is misinterpretation. Too often people run to others who don't even know what is going on and unload and cause further chaos and division. Many situations can be solved by talking to each other personally and not about each other. (Matthew 18:15)'Projection' is an image in our mind that we 'project' on a situation when dealing with others based on our own thoughts within ourselves. It happens a lot since we humans have busy minds. We can do it in both a positive and a negative sense based on the way we are feeling at the time. It is a form of mis-"judging". It is very prevalent in our news cycles, and all over political and religious circles. You can find examples of projection everywhere.
This is a great reason to listen carefully to what people are saying and help free them from misconceptions about what they might be thinking if you get the opportunity. Sometimes people are so busy thinking thoughts they don't really have time to listen. What a great thing to pray for!
People often project their thoughts on God too! It is something to watch out for. It is possible to think God is mad at us, when he isn't. It is possible to think God doesn't even think about us or that we have no place in his heart. All you have to do is look at the beautiful spring gifts he has made to remind us of all the loving touches he put in this world to bless our lives.
The verse above in Ephesians came to mind and is very apropos to the spring cleaning that needs to go on in our minds periodically. (It's the first day of spring! Yea!). It is actually a prayer and it is a good one. In fact it is beautiful! It is an effective prayer to pray and believe. Let in the light, open the windows, breathe and clear the cobwebs of our minds out!
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