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We’ve got things all wrong! We believe that external things and circumstances control our happiness and well-being. We may not actually say this, but we act as if this is true. And there is some truth to this. If our job is going terribly or we are in the midst of a bad relationship, life can be pretty hard. But we dramatically underestimate the importance of the state of our inner world. The Message translates Matthew 5:8, “You’re blessed when you get your inside world – your mind and your heart – put right. Then you can see God in the outside world.” Often, we cannot see the outside world, our circumstances, clearly because our inside world has been neglected. The state of our inside world – our anxieties, agitations, resentments – color our outside world. Conversely, when our inside world is “put right”, our outside world looks different. People may not aggravate us as easily or circumstances may not seem so dramatic.

We attend to our inner world in many ways. Time with God is a good starting point. Too many of us hope that 5 minutes with God each day is enough to impact the other 1435 minutes of the day. Yet, time alone with God is not the only way we attend to our inner world. When we enter into an intentional relationship, such as mentoring, we are attending to the inner world. When we read, when we spend time in quiet, when we spend time in nature, when we worship, we attend to our inner world. The key is not the minutes spent, although that may be an issue. The key is balance. Are we giving enough time and attention to what is going on inside of us to balance the intensity of what is happening around us? The crazy thing is that the things we most value in life – love, joy, and peace – all come from inside, not from the outside. The outer things are the trappings, not the substance.

If you are unsure as to where you stand in this area of balance between the inner world and the outer world, answer these questions:

  • How specifically am I attending to my inner world?
  • Am I generally at peace or do I feel a nagging sense of discontent about my life?
  • Am I hopeful?
  • Are distractions and obsessions, such as social media, TV, or video games, having too large a place in my life?
  • Is my heart right with God?

The answers to these questions are not your inner world but they can be a reflection of the state of your inner world. If you are not happy with your answers to the questions above, begin taking small steps in the right direction. Pick up a book. Turn off the radio. Put down the smartphone. Spend a little longer today lingering with God.

Small changes practiced regularly make a huge difference.

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