162 Surrender

Meaning: “conveying a significance that is not directly expressed . . .”

I think it should be remembered, and I cannot put this too strongly, that “meaning” can run the gamut of positive to neutral to negative; interesting to neutral to disgusting; satisfying to irrelevant to discouraging. Not all clues are positive and useful, Gentle Reader. One must select for the best when looking for major implications of meaning.

And in the same vein, here one must finally confront what for many is a painful surrender. One must surrender one’s preference for certain thinking, surrender it to God, and embrace God’s thinking. God is reasonable, yes, but He cannot compromise His value system based on pure goodness.

One may prefer to believe some thinking that she/he has fashioned for her/his self, but if it conflicts with what He says in Scripture then one must surrender to the superiority of His thinking and TRUST that He is ALWAYS good.

Even if one does not see how that good works out in undeniable form, one and all, myself included, must select and embrace one’s meanings, one’s clues, one’s convictions with extreme caution, surrendering with alacrity any that are too self-serving (and, believe me, many of mine fit that category).

In the selection process, it is relevant to note that some clues are obvious and some obscure, Earnest Reader, some valuable and some misleading.

A habit of finding a lot of meaning in luxury cars can fill one’s head with a plethora of indicators for buying one (considering the expense that would entail, one should certainly agree that to be indulged, those clues should be very persuasive, at the least).

Find a lot of indicators for embracing a religion and one may find oneself joining it (again, a matter worth considerable evaluation). I cannot tell you just how many religious groups I have visited and found to be apparently seemly groups, only to later to find that the teachings by or in that group were a confusion of mixed messages. Not a good situation when teachings are a critical factor in the life of any group.

A group of “one mind”—the mind of Christ— as the Scripture describes it, is what is profitable to the believer, I can assure. Getting confused in what one believes is a favorite ploy of the Adversary. Groups that mix secular or preferential thinking into their “mindfulness” ultimately offer those in fellowship within that group only confusion and distress.

I have found that acquisition and application of major implications great or small most profitably proceed like this, Cautious Reader: (the dash means “leads to”) thought—meaning-seeking—clues—research—major implications—belief—commitment. By prayerfully following this path, I can greatly ensure that my commitment is worth the process.

Take this simple example: a woman may think “I like him.”

In pondering such a thought she may think “that means a lot to me.”

From that conclusion may come major implications and a belief, “I believe I could marry him.”

Her belief leads to commitment “I will say yes, if he asks me to marry him.”

This is a big commitment! And adequate meaning-seeking is obviously important here; one’s process must be credit-worthy.

This understanding on meaning-seeking has led me to hold firmly to one finding: If one has one’s process down pat, then one’s commitments will be far more worthwhile. Surrender of personal preference and embrace of God’s principles is the only sure safeguard in the selection process.

We all only have so much time, Gentle Reader, pointing to the necessity of worthy selecting of our commitments. Then and only then, may one throw oneself into rightful, valuable (to self and others), and ardent meaning-seeking.

To be continued . . .