Triggers!

“Triggers”, we all understand their purpose. But what is the first thing that comes to mind when the word “trigger” appears? Is it a .44 Magnum, a Henry rifle, a starter pistol at an athletic meet, the green button on your cell phone, or have we begun to understand the importance of the "triggers" in our lives on a daily basis? Those impulse decisions we make with split second reflexes. How many times do we second guess the bad choices made, but then it is too late the damage is done.

Our life now as Christians is a call to walk in the Spirit and by the Spirit; simply put we must learn to apply God’s counsel to our lives throughout the day and not only on a Sunday when we put on our church hats. Not only when we are in the mood to focus on spiritual matters. What I mean by this; I put time aside each morning and through that I am afforded the opportunity to focus on biblical truths when writing a daily blog, I also read and pray during this allotted time, I am forced to think on spiritual matters.

These times are a lot easier for the “triggers” in my mind to seek out thoughts that look to transform me into Christ’s image. No differently to someone praying or reading the bible, their mind honed in on spiritual thought. But what about later throughout the day when I am doing something that seems to have no relation to the “mind of Christ”? Or worse still, when I am facing a decision that I needn’t have faced, if I had not pulled the wrong trigger. A sharp word when a gentle word was needed, just proving to myself how far from the mark of the “mind of Christ” I really am.

“But no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. With it we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse people who are made in the likeness of God. From the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My brothers, these things ought not to be so.” (James 3:8-10)

As a rule I do not find myself erring with my tongue when penning my blog, but three hours later when my computer hangs of things do not go my way for any given reason, do I pull the cursing’s trigger? If so, then I have just proved that I have now moved from walking as I have been called to walk as a new creature in Christ, in His Spirit. I once again walk with a carnal understanding as my old man fights to live although he is dead. I have just pulled the wrong trigger!

Is this type of reality “pie in the sky” or is it real? Very real and common to most if not all, but James is not pleased with what he sees; “from the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My brothers, these things ought not to be so.”

I have but highlighted the tongue as it is common to all, it could well be that we have some other vices and the principle would also apply to all common practical Christianity. How then will we address this issue and bring about a change? We must begin to take every decision in our lives seriously, even the ones we thing to be harmless at first glance. If we begin to minimize some of the more excusable thoughts and we let them slip before long we will be climbing out of some dark ditch saying to ourselves, “how did I end up there?” And yet on some thought, we know exactly why we ended up there, it was the first “trigger” we pulled that caused our slippery demise.

This is how the bible teachers us to avoid the ditch; but first let us ask ourselves this question am I reasoning correctly; “When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I gave up childish ways.” (1Corinthians 13:11)

Back to the ditch and how do we stay out? This is the Apostle Pauls instruction; “For though we walk in the flesh, we are not waging war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds. We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ, being ready to punish every disobedience, when your obedience is complete.” (2Corinthians 10:3-6)

This then is my on-going experience on how I have victory in the Spirit and when I fall by way of the flesh. Both have played their part in my life, I have many scars to prove how trigger happy I’ve been in the past as I’ve erred on the wrong side of many bad choices. But this is what it has taught me; it is the very first initial thought that enters my mind on any given subject, as an example; a rugby match at an unsaved friend’s house. These then some of my thoughts, they may be invited but not always. Who will be there, what will be the mood and will alcohol flow? I then have to act on these considerations, “to do or not to do”! Does acting on this thought help me obey Christ or not should be the question? The obvious answer to this example would be to stay away, stop the first trigger from firing and then there will be no other decisions to act upon, like should I have a beer, should I, should I and should I to many other possibilities with the ditch looming! Thoughts are a way of life and they often come along uninvited; it is when they become actions acted upon, that then is often the trap (sin) we fall into. Stop the very first thought and we stop the “trigger” effect that leads to the ditch. It is when my sinful thought becomes intent that I need to then seek out God’s face and find forgiveness. It can be avoided!

The only way this will ever be possible is if we walk as new creatures in Christ, we must remember to follow Paul’s instruction; “I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.” (Romans 12:1-2)

How will we ever know the deep things of God if we live any differently, we won’t! We must then remain content to be children and never grow up into manhood. Our hope is to enter into God’s rest as He too entered His own rest. The only way we will ever do that is to walk in the Spirit, to put on the mind of Christ.  

May we remember this in the forefront of our minds; “For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.” (Hebrews 4:12)

May God help us to be more like His glorious Son, our majestic Saviour, even Jesus Christ our Lord, Amen!

Signing off

Tyrone