Capturing Ruminations

 October 3, 2020

“Poor soul; his mind never ceases from political ruminations. Eventually, he snapped.” William Wilberforce spent nearly his entire political career fighting against the British slave trade. He was a devout Christian, and uttered the above words in reference to a colleague who never took time away from his work. Wilberforce knew as many do not, how important a day of rest is to the human soul. “Everything eventually turns political,” was a comment made in a conversation today in reference to certain individuals who cannot seem to step even for a moment away from all the turmoil in our nation. 

It’s not a malady reserved for professional politicians. I’ve noticed how even preachers will post and comment about political matters more than matters of faith. It is a trap into which I myself have fallen more times than I care to recount. On the way home from caring for my mother today, I had nearly two hours to pray, and to be honest, didn’t get much actual praying done. I was constantly fighting the battle of my mind wandering onto the political minefield, coming up with responses to imaginary conversations with people whose persuasions are different than mine. No sooner would I drag my thoughts back to Scripture than I found another one wandering off like a heifer bolting for the open pasture after being rounded up into the corral. 

2 Corinthians 10:5 tells us to “bring every thought captive to Christ.” It can be hard work. Our thoughts don’t like to be captured, and will run all over the back 40 to avoid the Gospel lariat. I suppose there is a sort of victory in repeatedly chasing them down, but I do wish I had been able to actually pray for those hours. I know this much: I don’t need to attend every argument to which I’ve been invited, and I dare not abandon the fight to bring my thoughts captive to Christ. Continual rumination on those matters that irritate or agitate us is a sure path to spiritual and emotional unrest, and even unraveling. So tonight, I will engage that spiritual battle of my spirit taking control of my soul, for the sake of my soul, and in obedience to Christ.