A number of years ago, I had a dream in which I had an interesting dilemma. I was exhausted in my dream and decided that it was time to get some sleep. I headed to my bed, pulled down the covers, and was shocked to see a bunch of cats. I started to shoo them away in frustration. They bounded right back up on the bed. What was wrong? I was angry enough that I pushed a few of them off. Any cat owner knows that you can’t get rid of them that easily. They are the picture of stubbornness. They kept jumping back on the bed. Then my eyes opened in surprise as I saw why they were there. Right on the bed was cat food! It must have been their favorite kind. Right after that I woke up.
As I contemplated the dream, I heard the Lord say, “If you don’t like the cats disturbing your rest, don’t feed them!” I had an “aha” moment, for sure. It is insane to keep putting cat food on your bed, and then get angry when the cats show up. In the same way, it makes no sense to fill our minds with negative thoughts and then become upset when negative emotions show up. Negative emotions follow our negative thoughts. Negative emotions and thoughts destroy our rest in Him.
As we walk with the Lord into the greater things that He has planned for us, there will be ample opportunities to have negative thoughts. We may become discouraged when a person is not healed that we have prayed for. I’m never going to make it. Why are they treating me like this? Why is there so much resistance? Maybe I should quit. Our emotions will follow those thoughts, and we will have little rest and peace.
The Word of the Lord has not changed. You, as a believer, will lay hands on the sick and they will recover. Temporary setbacks, persecution, or criticism will not change it. Once you have heard and understood the Word of the Lord, think nothing but what the Word says. Refuse the negative thoughts that bring negative emotions. STOP feeding the cats!