“How much better to get wisdom than gold, to get insight rather than silver!” (Proverbs 16:16 NIV)
In my weekly talk to with a young minister, we share a variety of things. Sometimes I speak words of wisdom, and other times, he ministers to me with wise counsel. Wisdom is better than gold.
I had shared with him how there are places that I drive by in town that acts as immediate stimuli, causing me to have regret and at times retreat from such places as I was a recluse. This young man of God taught me about environmental and/or emotional triggers and let me know that it was human to experience them. After our conversation, I decided to seek more about these triggers, realizing as one ages, in my opinion, Satan will use them to his advantage to pull us down. One definition I found was provided in an essay on the subject by Sarah Thompson. She defined emotional triggers as “anything, including memories, experiences, or events that sparks an emotional reaction regardless of your current mood.”
If we were all to be transparent, honest, and speak with integrity, we would be able to identify with times where emotional triggers got the best of us. It happens to me when visiting the old neighborhood, the small town where I had to retire because of a physical condition, passing the streets were my younger brother and sister lived, going past the university I attended and later taught, or even when I am in the vicinity of the parks around town where people came from all over, even out of state to play basketball. Sometimes, I don’t even have to leave the house. I just look over to the dresser and see two photos, one of my mom and one of dad, a book of jazz musicians that “Larry” is included, or a gift and my sister Carol gave me, thinking I needed one of those. These aforementioned places and particular things bring back memories of bad times that I wish I could have made better, but more so, memories of good times, times that I will not experience again until all God’s children get together in Heaven.
Sarah Thomspon, the author mentioned above, gave some biblical advice, but I decided to let the Lord lead me to a different scriptural passage that will help you and me avoid letting emotional triggers trap us in a mindset, either for a short time or a long time. See the closing verses below and every time an environmental and/or emotional trigger tries to depress you or to take a detour from a happy, content, current mood, or even keep you from healing from something that bothers you; every time this happens, refer to these verses. I hope you find them helpful! Thank God for my interaction with my young, out-of-state minister who I see as a beloved son. Thank him for what he put on my heart and praise God that I was able to share these things with you. My dear friend, let’s take advantage of the wisdom we gained today. Be blessed!
“Summing it all up, friends, I’d say you’ll do best by filling your minds and meditating on things true, noble, reputable, authentic, compelling, gracious—the best, not the worst; the beautiful, not the ugly; things to praise, not things to curse. Put into practice what you learned from me, what you heard and saw and realized. Do that, and God, who makes everything work together, will work you into his most excellent harmonies.” (Philippians 4:8-9 The Message Bible)
Committed to the climb,
Mark L. King
P.S. Praise God!