Welcome back my brothers for part 2 of our 6-part series on the Gauntlet of Power. Last time we talked about the Time Stone and the power of spending time with those we love and making the absolute best use of the time we have. This week we are talking about the Mind Stone. In the Avengers movies, the Mind Stone was used on several occasions to control individuals and make them become their slaves. The Mind Stone literally does what you would think it would, control your mind against your will. As we think about the mind of a man, we know that we have the ability to reach the highest heights or the lowest depths because in Proverbs 23:7 the Word says “As a man(mankind) thinks in his heart, so is he”. Our thoughts and how we nurture them, control them, embrace them or reject them make the human mind one of the most precious gifts that God has given us.
Henry Ford, the great American inventor and pioneer made a very memorable statement that aligns directly with that scripture; “Whether you think you can or think you can’t, you’re right.” This also captures the essence of how powerful our mind and our thoughts are in our everyday lives. In the Avengers stories (follow me for a minute), the Mind Stone was first given to a mischievous villain named Loki, the brother of Thor, to control the minds of those people he needed to do his bidding. The Mind Stone also had the power to destroy structures, objects and even individuals. Our mind has that same ability if we set our focus on being destructive; that includes to ourselves, our families, our co-workers and our communities. The Mind Stone was also captured by the Avengers and used to create another “good guy” named Vision, whose job was to protect the people of Earth from evil forces. When our minds are cultivated and fed with the things that will propel us into our purpose and destiny, we can fight off the attacks of the enemy as well as all the negative influences that seek to bring us down and destroy our confidence and self-esteem.
I know that many men have been raised to be under the hyper-aggressive, uber-macho, know everything, “real men don’t cry” mantra and other false nonsense that have done more harm than good to our core being. On the other end you have men that have been raised to be super-passive, irresponsible, emotionally super-sensitive, emasculated, with no sense of purpose. However, how you were raised does not determine your destiny. You have to have a mindset that says “I am My Responsibility”, my past does not determine my future, I must embrace how God made me with “flaws”, but still know that “I am fearfully and wonderfully made.” The mind of a man can be the greatest weapon that he has if used the proper way. Your thoughts become a reflection of who you really are, so you are responsible for what you fill it with on a daily basis.
On a personal note, the Mind Stone was very elusive for me to possess during various times of my life. When I was younger, I was very passive, non-confrontational, accepted what was given to me, and was very hard on myself or didn’t believe in myself to accomplish anything great. I knew that I was different, I was intelligent, I wanted to help people and I thought I was a “good guy”. The amazing thing was, when I wasn’t focused on my mental and spiritual growth, I allowed all kinds of things to keep me distracted as I was looking for love, acceptance and so many other things to fill that void in my life. I was a “slave” to whatever thoughts came into my mind! Imagine what being in my late teens and early 20’s, in the military looked like for me; drinking, sleeping around with women, irresponsible, selfish, destructive to myself. The Mind Stone was being used against me! I was a double-minded man! I knew that I should be following Christ based on how I was raised, but I didn’t believe that I could because I would “miss out on all the fun stuff!” How many of us have heard or thought that one before?
It took me a very long time to fully embrace who God was in my life. When I gave my heart to Christ on April 12, 1997, many things that were foggy started to become clear. I engrossed myself in learning more about who Christ was and what was my role in this “Kingdom living”. My mind was being shaped by the Word of God, by wise men and women who I respected, and by what I was experiencing on a daily basis. Although I looked at life and people totally different, I still had moments of vulnerability and weakness, so quite naturally I blamed the teachers because, hey, I was still a student! Romans 12:2 says “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect. I was conforming instead of transforming! I thought all that stuff was behind me!
When we as men try to shift blame for our shortcomings, failures and blame the world, we truly do become our greatest enemy. Philippians 4:8 says “Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.” Now, I am glad that I possess my own Mind Stone, so when crazy thoughts get in and try to run amok, I know I have the responsibility and power to get them right back out! We as men have the ability to shift the atmosphere in our homes, our jobs, our relationships and more important in our time alone with ourselves. Our actions don’t appear out of thin air, but are first birthed in our hearts, then take shape in our thoughts, and ultimately shape our actions. So, one of the keys to having a strong, healthy Mind Stone, is to know and deal with what’s in our hearts. Sounds like a daunting task, but hey, what good is a superhero if you don’t do anything super?
Join me for part 3 as we talk about the next Infinity Stone: The Reality Stone!
Personal Reflection:
When we have to deal with the issues of the heart, a lot of times we find that there may be some areas of hurt, unforgiveness, or trauma that we haven’t dealt with. Take some time to write out some of the most memorable moments (good and bad) that you can remember in your life. Under each moment, write out how it made you feel, who knows about it, and what did it teach you. Have the courage to share with someone that you trust. Finally, rate the health of your heart (not physical, but emotional) on a scale of 1-10.
1-3 - High risk for cardiac arrest (emotional, mental, and spiritual unrest, depression). Professional help is not out of the question.
4-5 – Had some major trauma, but with work and healthy diet of truth and wise counseling, can fully recover
6-8 – Able to handle hard truth and in a good place to help others that are struggling
9-10 – Had major victories in life and with self! In a great place to walk with others that are struggling
Prayer:
Ask God daily to renew your mind and heart towards Him and for others. Ask God to help heal your heart and deal with any unforgiveness that you may be harboring. Seek the Word and wise counsel in dealing with destructive thought patterns in your mind and pray for Godly friends that will help hold you accountable for your actions.
Written By Reggie L Carter
Henry Ford, the great American inventor and pioneer made a very memorable statement that aligns directly with that scripture; “Whether you think you can or think you can’t, you’re right.” This also captures the essence of how powerful our mind and our thoughts are in our everyday lives. In the Avengers stories (follow me for a minute), the Mind Stone was first given to a mischievous villain named Loki, the brother of Thor, to control the minds of those people he needed to do his bidding. The Mind Stone also had the power to destroy structures, objects and even individuals. Our mind has that same ability if we set our focus on being destructive; that includes to ourselves, our families, our co-workers and our communities. The Mind Stone was also captured by the Avengers and used to create another “good guy” named Vision, whose job was to protect the people of Earth from evil forces. When our minds are cultivated and fed with the things that will propel us into our purpose and destiny, we can fight off the attacks of the enemy as well as all the negative influences that seek to bring us down and destroy our confidence and self-esteem.
I know that many men have been raised to be under the hyper-aggressive, uber-macho, know everything, “real men don’t cry” mantra and other false nonsense that have done more harm than good to our core being. On the other end you have men that have been raised to be super-passive, irresponsible, emotionally super-sensitive, emasculated, with no sense of purpose. However, how you were raised does not determine your destiny. You have to have a mindset that says “I am My Responsibility”, my past does not determine my future, I must embrace how God made me with “flaws”, but still know that “I am fearfully and wonderfully made.” The mind of a man can be the greatest weapon that he has if used the proper way. Your thoughts become a reflection of who you really are, so you are responsible for what you fill it with on a daily basis.
On a personal note, the Mind Stone was very elusive for me to possess during various times of my life. When I was younger, I was very passive, non-confrontational, accepted what was given to me, and was very hard on myself or didn’t believe in myself to accomplish anything great. I knew that I was different, I was intelligent, I wanted to help people and I thought I was a “good guy”. The amazing thing was, when I wasn’t focused on my mental and spiritual growth, I allowed all kinds of things to keep me distracted as I was looking for love, acceptance and so many other things to fill that void in my life. I was a “slave” to whatever thoughts came into my mind! Imagine what being in my late teens and early 20’s, in the military looked like for me; drinking, sleeping around with women, irresponsible, selfish, destructive to myself. The Mind Stone was being used against me! I was a double-minded man! I knew that I should be following Christ based on how I was raised, but I didn’t believe that I could because I would “miss out on all the fun stuff!” How many of us have heard or thought that one before?
It took me a very long time to fully embrace who God was in my life. When I gave my heart to Christ on April 12, 1997, many things that were foggy started to become clear. I engrossed myself in learning more about who Christ was and what was my role in this “Kingdom living”. My mind was being shaped by the Word of God, by wise men and women who I respected, and by what I was experiencing on a daily basis. Although I looked at life and people totally different, I still had moments of vulnerability and weakness, so quite naturally I blamed the teachers because, hey, I was still a student! Romans 12:2 says “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect. I was conforming instead of transforming! I thought all that stuff was behind me!
When we as men try to shift blame for our shortcomings, failures and blame the world, we truly do become our greatest enemy. Philippians 4:8 says “Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.” Now, I am glad that I possess my own Mind Stone, so when crazy thoughts get in and try to run amok, I know I have the responsibility and power to get them right back out! We as men have the ability to shift the atmosphere in our homes, our jobs, our relationships and more important in our time alone with ourselves. Our actions don’t appear out of thin air, but are first birthed in our hearts, then take shape in our thoughts, and ultimately shape our actions. So, one of the keys to having a strong, healthy Mind Stone, is to know and deal with what’s in our hearts. Sounds like a daunting task, but hey, what good is a superhero if you don’t do anything super?
Join me for part 3 as we talk about the next Infinity Stone: The Reality Stone!
Personal Reflection:
When we have to deal with the issues of the heart, a lot of times we find that there may be some areas of hurt, unforgiveness, or trauma that we haven’t dealt with. Take some time to write out some of the most memorable moments (good and bad) that you can remember in your life. Under each moment, write out how it made you feel, who knows about it, and what did it teach you. Have the courage to share with someone that you trust. Finally, rate the health of your heart (not physical, but emotional) on a scale of 1-10.
1-3 - High risk for cardiac arrest (emotional, mental, and spiritual unrest, depression). Professional help is not out of the question.
4-5 – Had some major trauma, but with work and healthy diet of truth and wise counseling, can fully recover
6-8 – Able to handle hard truth and in a good place to help others that are struggling
9-10 – Had major victories in life and with self! In a great place to walk with others that are struggling
Prayer:
Ask God daily to renew your mind and heart towards Him and for others. Ask God to help heal your heart and deal with any unforgiveness that you may be harboring. Seek the Word and wise counsel in dealing with destructive thought patterns in your mind and pray for Godly friends that will help hold you accountable for your actions.
Written By Reggie L Carter
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