Questioning Motives – Part 1

I found through experience that it was good practice to ask myself questions about the way I was thinking and feeling in that moment. I felt that this approach aided me understanding my soul's reactions to a given situation or particular state of being.

These questions should be brief and simple, such as, "Why am I feeling like this?" or "Why did I react like that?" or "Am I really feeling sad because I made that mistake in the past - or is there something more to it than that?" The effect of these questions is that they enable you to steer your thoughts in a particular direction, rather than just randomly flitting about. Also, it permits the Holy Spirit to bring insight into the situation in response to your questions.

Over a period of time as you gain insight into your soul's reactions to triggers, you gain more understanding about yourself, rather than just reading a book about someone else’s experiences and just taking their word for it. As your understanding grows, you can begin to adapt your response to the situation so that you can gain control over your own emotions and patterns of thinking. In this manner, I believe a person should be able to master the flesh.

I recall one particular incident when I started thinking about a nice looking woman and was lusting after her. I asked myself the question, "What is my soul seeking after through these fantasies?" I felt the Lord answer me that I was seeking after approval. That got me thinking and I considered to myself that this approval also involved a sense of belongingness, because I felt isolated and lonely. So I asked the Lord about this and He replied that I was right. So I loosed my soul's want for approval and a sense of belongingness through wanting companionship with an attractive woman. Immediately, the fantasies and the lust stopped.

When you get immediate and effective results in this way, it reinforces your understanding about yourself and supports your new beliefs. You then feel encouraged to pray that way again in the future.