I read a book years ago by Dr. Norman Vincent Peale called, “The Amazing Results of Positive Thinking,” and I recommend it as an inspiration and encouragement to your spiritual life. He explains that our mind is filled with all types of thoughts and persuasions, but everyone is held accountable to manage them. We have the ability to resist and ignore the negative influences that hinder our life and also to embrace the suggestions that are positive and encouraging.
I remember after studying about this principle, I had an interesting dream. I do not always place a lot of credibility in dreams because sometimes I think they are related with late-night pizza binges. On the other hand, the Bible reveals that some dreams have been used as a legitimate way that God can communicate. Anyway, here was my dream.
I found myself on a dusty construction site. As I looked around, I noticed workers with shovels, and they were busy digging up small trees and bushes. Some were driving trucks, and others were using chainsaws. In the distance, I noticed a bulldozer was pushing over large trees. They were obviously clearing the land, but I was not sure for what reason. I approached one of the workers and asked who was in charge, but he just kept walking.
For some reason, I sensed in the dream that Jesus was overseeing this operation, and so I started searching for him. I was expecting any moment to see him in a white tunic, sandals and hard hat, but I never did. Finally, I saw a man who was writing on a clipboard, and he appeared to be a supervisor. I went over to him and said, “Excuse me, sir, can you tell me where to find the project manager?” As he started walking away, he turned his head and calmly said, “You are.” This is the last thing I remember.
There is an old rhyme that says, “Your mind is a garden, your thoughts are seeds, you can grow flowers or you can grow weeds.” This may sound silly, but in relation to our subject, it makes perfect sense to consider that we are the gardener and caretaker of our own mind.