Fearfully and wonderfully made.....

The more I learn the more I am completely amazed at how intricate we are as humans. When God created man it wasn’t a black and white stick figure sketch on scrap paper, but a three dimensional being with a fierce protective outer body and delicate inner pieces encompassing depth, feelings, and impulses. There are more than 200 types of cells that make up the human body all formed with different characteristics based on their specific function and design.  

Psalm 139:13-14 "For you created my inmost being;you knit me together in my mother’s womb I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;your works are wonderful."

Before we are even born there begins this miraculous process and level of functioning within our bodies that involve some learned behaviors or cognitive skills and others that are done unconsciously. As our hearts beat 60-80 times per minute we don’t sit by and push a button to control each valve as it opens and closes to pass blood through our bodies and organs but instead it’s an unconscious process. It’s like a gigantic control center tucked deep inside where secret codes and signals are transferred carrying out various levels of functioning until all those sections work together as a whole. 

One of the most complex systems within our bodies is the nervous system. The nervous system makes up all the electrical wiring in our bodies to transport nerve impulses and signal emotions, reflexes, and directions for our organ systems functioning without us even being aware it’s happening which is one of those unconscious phenomenons. A few nights ago Scott, my husband, and I were watching a show called “Brain Games” on the National Geographic Channel. Sitting there I was completely blown away at how our human bodies develop an instinctual response to certain stimuli based on patterns or cognitive thinking. The most fascinating was the different ways our sight develops a response pattern. 

They showed different videos which highlight a particular image in the center and then blurred out all the objects on the outside of the center. It represented what is called “Intentional Spotlight” where our brains focus solely on the object at the center and completely misses very important details on the outside. They did another study called the “Oddball Effect” where a series of pictures were shown. They used two images, a kitten and a boar. They flashed the picture of the kitten 3 times in a row each for 1 second then they showed the boar once and then the kitten again once. Because the boar showed a break in the pattern our minds made us think that picture was displayed for a longer period of time on the screen when really they were all the same. Scientifically this whole thing is amazing to me how our human minds compensate and develop a pattern of thinking and unconscious reaction based on a particular chain of events sequentially. 

When we go through hard times in life it’s easy for us to have the same reaction over and over. We develop this pattern of protection against the pain and we find ourselves focusing only on the big roadblock in the center, we develop that “intentional spotlight” and although in our hearts we know God has a purpose for everything else surrounding us we get caught up in what’s right before our eyes. We struggle to see the big picture and forget that the very God of the universe who loves us more than we can ever imagine sees every piece of the puzzle and has a clear and precise view of the entire picture before us. We develop that “oddball effect” where the very thing that takes up so much time and energy in our lives seems to completely consume us. Even when so many other good things are happening around us, even when God is showing us blessing after blessing the enemy holds up that one picture of the very thing that is breaking us down and that’s all we can focus on. The good news is that God can break every pattern of negative thinking, God can step into the most hidden places of our being and seep into our minds and transform our thoughts. God can take that impossible situation and set you free from the chains it has over you and open your eyes to a beautiful picture of hope and purpose. 

“Leap up at the sound of this promise! Believe it. Let it go down into your souls. ‘The Lord looseth the prisoners’ (Psalm 146:7) He has come to loose you. I can see my Master arrayed in His silk garments. His countenance is as joyous as heaven, His face is as bright as a morning without clouds and in His hand He holds a silver key. ‘Where are you going, my Master, with that silver key of Yours?’ I ask. ‘I go,’ He says, ‘to open the door of the captive and to loosen everyone who is bound.’ Blessed Master, fulfill Your errand!’ Charles Spurgeon

Throughout this past week the enemy has tried to cloud the vision of my heart and cause me to loose sight of all that God is doing. He has tried to cause my eyes to only focus on my trouble at the very center and forget that God sees the big picture over my life. The enemy has tried to defeat me, overpower me, crowd me into a dark corner cut off from the very things in my life that pour joy and purpose into my life and just when he thought he could win, just when he thought he could lock me away as a prisoner to defeat there stood God at the door of that prison cell and in His hands was a key, a reminder that because He sent His Son Jesus I NEVER have to be a prisoner to the hurts of this world EVER again!