What shapes (are) you?
What shapes are you?
If you were to describe yourself as a shape what would you be, square, triangular, octagonal, flat, etc? Years ago, without hesitation I would have described myself as "round." However, knowing what I know now, I was a VERY square. I thought inside the box, though my thinking didn't resemble much dimension...it was more of a one dimensional shape what might be referred to as flat. I probably had about four sides to me: mad, fearful/worry,sad, happy. Those emotions were big and didn't really cross each other. In the corners of my world they may have been a mix of happy crossing to mad. I kept my shape well---- sharpe corners and clean lines.
Interestingly (ignorant) my square thoughts had me believing that anyone who didn't think like I did was "square." I believed I was, well...round! In the process of becoming a new and different shape, I've learned it was more me than "them" who was boxy. Everything, thoughts and opinions were nicely and neatly tucked away in my box of thinking.
Over the years I've been pulled and stretched and I am starting to look more like a circle. My corners are being sanded down to look more round, the lines that once defined a very distinct way of thinking and emotion are intertwined with other feelings and emotions. Often, I cannot even tell where one emotion begins and one ends...now I'm a "ball" of emotions. My natural tendency is to curl up when my emotions overtake me.
Here's the big question: it's not about what shape I am, it's aboutWHAT (WHO) shapes me? God has created so many shapes and sizes. I'm not referring to physical stature, but our emotional and spiritual shape. We don't and shouldn't fit into a box. Not all of us can be, or should be square, circular, or rhombus looking. We were designed to be different.
I shouldn't put myself or anyone else in a box, my thoughts and emotions are too big to be confined to any one shape.
Instead of focusing on what shape I am, I need to focus on what shape I've become and what shape I need to be. Instead of what shape I am, I need to pray about God shaping me...its about the Who that molds me. As I let go of the control and allow God, the ultimate shaper, to take my square thinking and make it round, I find joy and freedom. My mis-shaped heart moves from a narrow line to a wonderful shape I never imagined.
What tools are you using to shape your thoughts and emotions? When we turn to the world our minds become shaped by television, magazines, Internet, and even well meaning friends. Our minds and hearts need to be molded and shaped through HIM and by HIM.
Isaiah 64:8 And yet, O LORD, you are our Father. We are the clay, and you are the potter. We all are formed by your hand.
When left to my own desires I know that my tendency is to shape my own thinking and emotions and sometimes it looks like I'm "well rounded" sometimes I feel like I have things "squared away." God doesn't care about being squared away or well rounded, all that God wants is for me to be HIS and let Him shape me into a beautiful sculpture. Every time I get my hands in on the shaping process I keep reshaping into a square or a circle when he has a masterpiece in the works. I want to be shaped through his word, prayer, and fellowship, not by my own hands but by HIS.
Think about WHO shapes you, not what shape you are...
If you were to describe yourself as a shape what would you be, square, triangular, octagonal, flat, etc? Years ago, without hesitation I would have described myself as "round." However, knowing what I know now, I was a VERY square. I thought inside the box, though my thinking didn't resemble much dimension...it was more of a one dimensional shape what might be referred to as flat. I probably had about four sides to me: mad, fearful/worry,sad, happy. Those emotions were big and didn't really cross each other. In the corners of my world they may have been a mix of happy crossing to mad. I kept my shape well---- sharpe corners and clean lines.
Interestingly (ignorant) my square thoughts had me believing that anyone who didn't think like I did was "square." I believed I was, well...round! In the process of becoming a new and different shape, I've learned it was more me than "them" who was boxy. Everything, thoughts and opinions were nicely and neatly tucked away in my box of thinking.
Over the years I've been pulled and stretched and I am starting to look more like a circle. My corners are being sanded down to look more round, the lines that once defined a very distinct way of thinking and emotion are intertwined with other feelings and emotions. Often, I cannot even tell where one emotion begins and one ends...now I'm a "ball" of emotions. My natural tendency is to curl up when my emotions overtake me.
Here's the big question: it's not about what shape I am, it's about
I shouldn't put myself or anyone else in a box, my thoughts and emotions are too big to be confined to any one shape.
Instead of focusing on what shape I am, I need to focus on what shape I've become and what shape I need to be. Instead of what shape I am, I need to pray about God shaping me...its about the Who that molds me. As I let go of the control and allow God, the ultimate shaper, to take my square thinking and make it round, I find joy and freedom. My mis-shaped heart moves from a narrow line to a wonderful shape I never imagined.
What tools are you using to shape your thoughts and emotions? When we turn to the world our minds become shaped by television, magazines, Internet, and even well meaning friends. Our minds and hearts need to be molded and shaped through HIM and by HIM.
Isaiah 64:8 And yet, O LORD, you are our Father. We are the clay, and you are the potter. We all are formed by your hand.
When left to my own desires I know that my tendency is to shape my own thinking and emotions and sometimes it looks like I'm "well rounded" sometimes I feel like I have things "squared away." God doesn't care about being squared away or well rounded, all that God wants is for me to be HIS and let Him shape me into a beautiful sculpture. Every time I get my hands in on the shaping process I keep reshaping into a square or a circle when he has a masterpiece in the works. I want to be shaped through his word, prayer, and fellowship, not by my own hands but by HIS.
Think about WHO shapes you, not what shape you are...
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