Let’s Talk About Jennie Allen’s “Get Out of Your Head: A Study in Philippians” pt. 3

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In last week’s episode we went through sessions 3&4 where Jennie went into the weapons she believed we need to use to combat the enemies of our mind and now that Mrs. Allen has given us these weapons we can now move on to what she calls a new way to live. The Bible reading for this session was Philippians Chapter 3. In chapter 3 we have one of the most explicit explanations of what it means to believe in Christ and receive His righteousness in verses 4 to 11. It is an outstandingly beautiful section. And because of this I was looking forward to what Mrs. Allen would have to say. 

The fact that there are questions that cause us to think about what we’ve read in Philippians Chapter 3 is the only thing that kept me from being fully disappointed in this part of the study. Because only two of the questions get into this section of Christ’s perfect righteousness given to us. Jenny moves on quickly to focus on verses 12 to 16 where Paul acknowledges that he forgets what is behind and reaches for what is ahead pressing on to the goal. Why does she focus here? Because she desires to encourage us to forget our past as she believes it is a way that will help us get out of our heads.

“So we, as maturing Christ followers, guard our minds because flowing out of it.. comes every aspect of life. What we think will directly become who we are. So why do you have to become great at forgetting? Because you are a new creation, with a new identity, and a new motivation. And Jesus is just that good. … Forget what is behind… Race toward what is ahead.”(page 114 to 115)

I can’t help it, I have to dive into this. So let’s look at Philippians chapter 3: 1-16.

Finally, my brothers, rejoice in the Lord. To write the same things to you is no trouble to me and is safe for you.

 Look out for the dogs, look out for the evildoers, look out for those who mutilate the flesh. ³ For we are the circumcision, who worship by the Spirit of God and glory in Christ Jesus and put no confidence in the flesh— ⁴ though I myself have reason for confidence in the flesh also. If anyone else thinks he has reason for confidence in the flesh, I have more: ⁵ circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; as to the law, a Pharisee; ⁶ as to zeal, a persecutor of the church; as to righteousness under the law, blameless. ⁷ But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. ⁸ Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ ⁹ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith— ¹⁰ that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, ¹¹ that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead.

¹² Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. ¹³ Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, ¹⁴ I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. ¹⁵ Let those of us who are mature think this way, and if in anything you think otherwise, God will reveal that also to you. ¹⁶ Only let us hold true to what we have attained.

You notice that Paul starts out describing where  the Christian’s confidence should lie. He’s mentioning it here because he’s contrasting the confidence of those who are of the  false circumcision versus those who have the true circumcision. A side note – now, I think Mrs Allen understands this because in one of the projects titled digging deeper she directs us into a word study on circumcision. And if we had done this study, which she notes as optional for those who want to go deeper, – I really think it shouldn’t be optional as it makes a huge clarification into what Paul was writing about- we would understand and know that the Bible talks about how real circumcision is done to the heart and is a result of having faith in God and his Word. It is as Scripture says, an outward sign of a covenant with God (Gen. 17:9-10) to reflect an inward truth Abraham being the example, that one is saved and lives by faith. For no one is a Jew who is merely one outwardly, nor is circumcision outward and physical. ²⁹ But a Jew is one inwardly, and circumcision is a matter of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the letter. His praise is not from man but from God. Romans 2:28-29

Paul then describes what the Israelites, at that time, would have put their confidence in. Paul describes himself as being one that would have had full confidence because of where he was born, how he was taught, his obedience to the law, and his zeal for God. And by those standards he would have full confidence and be blameless. It is here then that he says that whatever he would have gained from all that, he counts it as loss for the sake of Christ. And he says “more than that” -meaning more than counting what he earned as loss he counts ALL THINGS as loss for the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus as his Lord. So to him he’s saying all things that would have profited him: being born into the nation of Israel, under The tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews, as a Pharisee- obeying the law with full zeal, and having a righteousness of his own. He counts all these loss, but not just them all things as rubbish so that he may have Christ and be found in Him not having the righteousness that he earned through obeying the law, but instead having the righteousness that is through faith in Christ, that which comes from God. So he may know Christ and the power of His resurrection and all His sufferings, conforming to His death in order that he may attain the resurrection from the dead. And this is his goal: to know Christ, be found in Him, and all that comes with that. So that he may attain the resurrection from the dead. Then he says not that he’s obtained it or has already become perfect but he presses on to lay hold of it because Christ laid hold of him so that he may lay hold of Christ perfection. So this is the standard and the standard is fulfilled in Christ. And this is why it’s so easy for Paul to say he forgets what is behind and reaches forward to what lies ahead. He then gives an analogy of a runner to describe the Christian spiritual growth. So just like the runner who runs in a race he pursues the goal line, he doesn’t look back but runs forward. Christ’s righteousness is our goal, our SANCTIFICATION, our Christ like-ness. It is the standard to which we have attained (our justification by grace alone through faith alone) and the standard to which we live by. Basically it’s the prize that we have been given, and a prize that we work towards achieving.

For Miss Allen, the new way to live is to forget our past and race toward what is ahead.

There are three different types of people who Jenny addresses as needing to forget so that they can pursue what is ahead.

“Some of you need to forget because your past is filled with how awesome you are, and you have built your identity on your ability and the applause of man, any wonder why you don’t feel like you need God or why you don’t want to grow in maturity.

Some of you need to forget because you built your identity on your lack of awesomeness, and now all you can do is think of yourself as well, but not in a good light. You can never imagine being confident enough to pour your life into another person.

Some of you have a past full of shame. Whether you were a victim or actively ran from God, your past still defines you and hold you in bondage, and your greatest fear is still being found out.”(page 114)

This sounds good, right and true. The idea of forgetting what is past and moving ahead in psychology today is one way the world tells you to move on and become a better person.

Now Paul does tell us that he forgets -but what is it that he is forgetting? Is it all his past or just certain things about what he believed in the past? In the context of Philippians as we discussed, Paul’s talking about what he used to put confidence in. All those things that his society would have said made him a good person – a heritage, his upbringing, his education, and his strict obedience to the law. These are what he says he’s forgetting, everything he’s earned in the flesh that the world believed commended him to God. And instead he forgets these things, trusting in the Gospel so that he may pursue Christ, instead.

And remember, for Miss Allen, we forget so that we can advance the gospel with every part of our lives. But in my opinion she places forgetting our past as the solution to advancing the gospel in our lives instead of the Gospel advancing the Gospel in our lives.

Take these three types of people for example.

For the person who’s past is filled with how awesome they are and how they have built their identity and their ability and the applause of men therefore not needing God, merely forgetting is not what they need. But a right understanding of the law to bring about a knowledge of true Holiness and righteousness as directed by God, so they may repent of their pride and confidence in their good deeds and  works because even  they are filthy rags to God. And when they realize this, they then trust in God and depend on Christ for their righteousness and the Holy Spirit for their maturity and growth.

For the second individual, who Miss Allen claims needs to forget, because they built their identity on their lack of awesomeness and thinks of themselves in a bad light- these people need the same truth. That while they are sinners and not good by God’s standards, God in his grace and mercy sent his son to die for their sins and provide for them a righteousness that they could not earn on their own. Therefore, if they believe and trust in Christ for their righteousness, they are free from their striving to be good and can now love their neighbor freely.

And for the third person who has a past full shame, either because of what was done to them or what they did, forgetting their past as well is not a solution, but like the two before this, the gospel is what is needed. Those who were victims, have a savior who understands pain and suffering endured it for those he loved. Those that feel shame because of what they have done, can confess and receive absolution through the body and blood of Christ poured out for their sins.

So you can see that the Gospel works, and needs to be told to Christians weekly, perhaps even daily.

So I believe that merely forgetting our past is not the solution to getting out of our head- it is, however, one of the things Paul is suggesting we do in sanctification-  but law and gospel is the solution, as the law reveals to us our sin, and the Gospel calls us to repent and look to Christ and His righteousness. Forgetting what is behind is connected with the straining forward to the goal- the pursuit of the sanctification of Christ, by the Holy Spirit.

But Mrs Allen wants us to focus on forgetting our past for this goal:

“…The point is, we have to fight down the distractions and bondage that keep us from holy advancing the Gospel with every part of our lives. Let’s become Free people – because Free people Free people.”(page 115) So to her we are distracted and in bondage when we remember our past or remain in our past. And this remembering keeps us from advancing the Gospel with every part of our lives. 

When we forget, she claims, we become Free people so that we can Free people. We are free people- free to serve God and neighbor, but WE do not set people free, God does that, through the Gospel. For it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. ¹⁷ For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith, as it is written, “The righteous shall live by faith.”(Rom. 1:16-17). And this faith is a gift from God (Eph.2:8-9)

Now in Session 3 & 4 I went into how I believe some of her projects were lacking. 

Under the “who are you, lord? And what do you want for me?” section, I discussed how she focuses on imperatives and leaves out the indicatives in the text. For session 5 she has us read Romans 7:15 – 25. Though I touched on this session’s “who are you, lord & what do you want for me “ project, I want to look at this a little deeper, showing how she breezes right past, or does not include the gospel parts, which we identified as the idicatives of these passages. 

For I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate. ¹⁶ Now if I do what I do not want, I agree with the law, that it is good. ¹⁷ So now it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me. ¹⁸ For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh. For I have the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out. ¹⁹ For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I keep on doing. ²⁰ Now if I do what I do not want, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me.

²¹ So I find it to be a law that when I want to do right, evil lies close at hand. ²² For I delight in the law of God, in my inner being, ²³ but I see in my members another law waging war against the law of my mind and making me captive to the law of sin that dwells in my members. ²⁴ Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? ²⁵ Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, I myself serve the law of God with my mind, but with my flesh I serve the law of sin.

So in Romans chapter 7:15 -25 we answer the question – “who are you Lord?” with God is Holy and right and good who has revealed his righteousness through his commandments. Then we answer the question “what do you want for me?” – to which I answered that God wants for us to have a righteousness that comes by faith. In this passage, specifically, God desires a heart that wants to fulfill his word, believe and agree with the commands that they are good and that our flesh is not. In this section we read about how Paul desires to do good but his flesh keeps him from it. And because he is a new creation his flesh wrestles his spirit, to which he cries out for someone to save him from his sinful flesh so that he might live in the Spirit. 

Did you notice how the answer to the question “what do you want for me?” is an imperative? He, being God, wants for us to desire to walk in the Spirit not in the Flesh. These are instructions, things to be done.  But let’s continue reading…

Now, If she had us continue on to chapter 8:1 – 4, we would read one of the most popular verses in Christianity.

There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. ² For the law of  the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death. ³ For God has done what the law, weakened by the flesh, could not do. By sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, he condemned sin in the flesh, ⁴ in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. 

Thanks be to God through Christ who set us free from this body of death, that without Christ righteousness we would be destined for wrath (like we were before we believed). Christ took on flesh to condemn it so the law would be fulfilled in us who walk in the spirit.-doesn’t she think that chapter 8: 1 to 4, easily applies to helping us, as she says “get out of our head” or have right thoughts? I asked this because Paul gives us a glimpse into the struggle in his mind. That in his mind he desires to follow God and to walk in the spirit, yet his flesh prevents him. Can you imagine the struggle going on in his brain? Especially the negative thoughts? The battle in his head rages as his thoughts know what is required of him to walk spiritually, and so he desires to obey the law, but his sinful flesh battles against his spiritual desires. Paul explains that his flesh does what he does not want it to do. And just like him, we women who have been given a new spirit, do what we do not want to do, and do not do what we want to do. So does Paul say just forget what you’ve done in your past? No instead he proclaims the Gospel to us and to himself, assuring us that what we do or don’t do doesn’t matter now, because Christ took on flesh for us and condemned it for us so that the law would be fulfilled in us who walk in the spirit. 

Now I want to specifically look at project 3 of session 5 – a new way to live –  because in it her use of psychology clearly comes out. She presents to us certain cognitive- distortions or thought patterns that entangle us which include patterns such as “All or nothing thinking” – sometimes called black and white thinking. An example would be “if I’m not perfect I have failed” “either I do it right or not at all” type of thoughts. Another cognitive distortion that might entangle us is emotional reasoning- assuming that because we feel a certain way, what we think must be true. An example of this is “I feel embarrassed so I must be an idiot”. If we looked at these from a biblical perspective we would see that the heart of these thoughts are a result of sins to which one could repent and trust Christ or is a result of believing lies and not knowing God, his sovereignty, and his character. Take for example the All or nothing thought pattern. We could say that it is true that at the end if we have not fully perfectly obeyed then we have failed to which we deserve punishment. The person who has this type of mentality should be told that what they are thinking is true and that by faith Christ has given them his perfect life. Everything he did he did right, and not just perfectly, but did all that was required of man perfectly. 

In her conclusion to session five she states “with each positive choice made – choosing stillness instead of distraction, for example, or Community instead of isolation – we are training ourselves to use the mind of Christ that we have. The more we make these positive choices, the more reflexive that approach becomes.”(page 124) so clearly to Miss Allen how we train ourselves to use the mind of Christ is by using her weapons to get out of our heads. And then just two paragraphs down she says “we stick our heads in our Bibles day in and day out. We are consumed with Jesus, and we keep moving. You might not be able to fully grab hold of Truth at the beginning, but as you persevere, it will cut a path and become permanent“(page 124). I would say that Philippians, the book we were actually supposed to be studying, is about true Joy, to which Paul explains is only found in the Gospel through Christ. That the more we are in God’s word, the more we know God, trust his sovereignty, hold fast to his name. The more we are in God’s word, the more we know Christ, who he is, and what he has done for us; and the more we know Christ the more we know the father. The more we are in God’s word, the more the spirit sanctifies us by convicting us of sin, and renewing our minds, therefore producing the fruits of the spirit which includes Joy, a byproduct of the Gospel at work in our lives.

So while Mrs Allen’s weapons are good choices to make to help us get out of our head they are useless without understanding and faith in the Gospel and the renewing of our mind through his word.

SESSION 6-A MIND LIKE CHRIST

And finally – session 6 titled a mind like Christ. Mrs. Allen says “the secret is Christ’s strength in us”(page 128)….“because we have access to his spirit, the mind of Christ is ours! It’s already in his Spirit living within us and laid out through his Word. We have help for our anxieties and fears about tomorrow. And permission to live the opposite of afraid: content. ‘I know what it is to be a need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want’-Philippians 4:12 NIV). And the power of that in Paul was he lived unafraid of what the world could do to him. His confidence wasn’t in his achievement or his possessions are how well his life was going… It was in his God. I pray this for you. I pray that whatever God has ahead for you, that above all you would find the secret of contentment and joy that is to know and love and walk with jesus. It is the only single thing that satisfies cannot be taken from you.“(page 129 to 130).

Yes! Now this is what I’m talking about. The more we know Jesus the more contentment and joy we have and this is what Philippians is about. But how much knowledge have we come to know about Christ in this study? Has it been more about analyzing our own thoughts, using weapons to fight the war in our heads? This is where I differ from Jenny Allen – her study guide direct us to look at psychology, ourselves, our actions and thoughts as well as Christ. While I believe that merely being in God’s Word and meditating on Christ and who He is is all we need to straighten our thoughts. The more we meditate on Him and what He’s done the less we meditate on ourselves. And if we are in His Word, when we do think of ourselves, we are humbled because the Scriptures teach that there is nothing good in us (Mark 10:18; Rom. 3:12; Isa.64:6). The more we realize the truth about ourselves the more humble we are and the more we are in need of Christ, and the more we worship and glorify Him for what He has done. Our thoughts are then turned to Him which is what Paul encourages us to think on in Philippians chapter 4 verse 8. He is what is true, honorable, right, pure, lovely, of good repute, excellence, and worthy of all praise.

She then  goes on to discuss that “as we look at our future the enemy has ensnared us with two little words: ‘what if’ “. To which she says that our “… Tool for defeating ‘what if’ is, not surprisingly, found in two words: ‘because God’. Because God clothed the lilies of the Field and feeds the birds of the air, we don’t need to be anxious about tomorrow. Because God has poured his love into our hearts, Our Hope will not be put into shame. Because God chose us to be saved by his strength, we can stand firm in our faith no matter what the day holds. Freedom begins when we notice what it is that is binding us. Then we can interrupt it with the truth”(page 134)

Again I say yes! More of this, more of God, more of what he has done as told to us in his Word. she says freedom begins when we notice what it is that is binding us, correct? What is binding us? The Bible is clear, sin binds us. We are bound to our sinful nature, slaves to our flesh and the ruler of this world, Satan. I completely agree with her. What binds us is sin, and abiding in Christ’s Word will set us free. John 8:31-32 says:

So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed in him, “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” John 8:31-32

 But I’m wondering why she doesn’t get into what binds us. That these thoughts that do not match up with God’s word, the anxiety that comes because of a lack of trust in God, thoughts that are prideful or shameful, all come from a sinful nature that is not held up to the truths of Scripture. Basically, she doesn’t just call them out for what they are- sins. And that if she did we could therefore repent, confess and turn to God’s word.

She gives us the final weapon – the weapon of trust.

“Women, we are not children of the devil. We are children of God, who reject the lies that have been swimming in our minds and replace them with the truth. So what lies have you been believing? Chances are, they f all into one of these three categories: 1) I’m helpless. 2) I’m worthless. 3) I’m unlovable.”(pg 139)

Can we just take a second here and look at these and ask ourselves are these lies?

1- I’m helpless – google dictionary defines helpless as one unable to defend oneself, powerless or weak. And the Bible has a lot to say about how weak we are. That while we were still weak, Christ died for us (Rom. 5:6). Paul chose to boast in his weakness/ helplessness because then the power of Christ can rest upon Him.(2Corin.11:30) 

2 – I’m worthless- Google dictionary defines worthless as (for a person) having no good qualities; deserving contempt. Jesus said that there was no one good but God (Mark 10:18). We are not good, and even what we call good works are filthy to God (Isa. 64:6) so without faith it is impossible to please God (Heb.11:6). A human’s worth comes from being made in God’s image (notice that it is because of certain attributes that are like God, such as authority and dominion over the earth, But most important that we are created by God and therefore because of that we have worth). A Christian’s worth comes from being in Christ. It is because of Christ that we have worth.

3 – I’m unlovable – we, without Christ are enemies to God (Rom. 5:11)

For while we were still weak (you can also say helpless), at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. ⁷ For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die— ⁸ but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners (having no good qualities -Mark 10:18; Isa 64:6; Rom. 3:11), Christ died for us. ⁹ Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God. ¹⁰ For if while we were enemies (Unlovable) we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life. ¹¹ More than that, we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation. Romans 5:6-11

It is because of Christ that I am reconciled and loved by God. Not anything in myself, not because I am not helpless, worthless, or unlovable. Telling ourselves that we are not helpless, not worthless, and not unlovable would contradict Scripture and put the focus of God’s love on us and what we do. Instead we should conclude that we are weak and cry out for Jesus’ power to rest upon us,  that we, without Christ, are worthless as Solomon writes in Ecclesiastes:  I said in my heart with regard to the children of man that God is testing them that they may see that they themselves are but beasts. ¹⁹ For what happens to the children of man and what happens to the beasts is the same; as one dies, so dies the other. They all have the same breath, and man has no advantage over the beasts, for all is vanity (worthless). But Christ is not worthless, and by faith, I am found in Him. And we should conclude that while I was an enemy set against God, Christ died for me so I might be reconciled to God. Because Christ chose to love the unlovable.

She then encourages us to grab the anxious thought and to analyze it by asking these four questions: what is it? Is it true? What does God say about it? And am I going to believe god? Now I don’t necessarily disagree with doing this. I only think to have to do this with every thought can be quite time consuming in which most of us women do not have the time. So if a woman decides to use this type of strategy to meditate on what she believes I’m all for that. But I would add one more question – what does this thought say about God/Christ/Holy Spirit? We should ask this question because it reveals to us what we truly believe to which then we can counteract it with Scripture.

Again she directs us to read 1 Corinthians 2 :11-16 and answer the questions: who are you, Lord? And what do you want for me? I reiterate what I said before in a little more detail. And as I mentioned in last week’s episode, if she had included versus 1 -10 in chapter 2 we would see that Paul is talking about proclaiming Christ who is the hidden wisdom prepared and predestined before the ages to our Glory. He therefore connects the proclamation of Christ and Him crucified with God’s revelation through the spirit so that our faith would not rest on the wisdom of men, but on the power of God. And I’ll say it again, It is this exact teaching that Paul gives in 1st Corinthians 2 that she did not include, that I believe this study is lacking. The proclaiming of Christ alone. I truly believe that the maturing of a Christian woman rests entirely on the preaching and proclaiming of Christ alone, through scripture alone, and by faith alone. I’m not sure that Jenny Allen believes that, because she believes that psychology/psychotherapy is needed to mature a Christian woman, especially a woman who is “ in her head.”

Conclusion- 

Note- that this study is half bible half psychotherapy with foundations in positive psychology. My issue with this is her use of the psychotherapy projects. By using these she is claiming that the Holy Spirit cannot sanctify us alone but that we also need cognitive reframing projects to help us shift perspective to become a more joyful, whole human.

There are 31(out of 145) pages that dive into Scripture- 22 of which are specifically on Philippians. 101 questions/activities were to be answered/done with 36 of those questions being specifically about Philippians. The others were focused on our opinions or our thoughts, and desires.

Remember, at the beginning of the first episode, where I read part of Psalm 119? I want to read it again and continue to verse 112. 

Oh how I love your law! It is my meditation all the day. Your commandment makes me wiser than my enemies, for it is ever with me. I have more understanding than all my teachers, for your testimonies are my meditation. I understand more than the aged, for I keep your precepts. I hold back my feet from every evil way, in order to keep your word. I do not turn aside from your rules, for you have taught me. How sweet are your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth! Through your precepts I get understanding; therefore I hate every false way.

Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path. I have sworn an oath and confirmed it, to keep your righteous rules. I am severely afflicted; give me life, O LORD, according to your word! Accept my freewill offerings of praise, O LORD, and teach me your rules. I hold my life in my hand continually, but I do not forget your law. The wicked have laid a snare for me, but I do not stray from your precepts. Your testimonies are my heritage forever, for they are the joy of my heart. I incline my heart to perform your statutes forever, to the end. Psalm 119:97-112

The Psalmist proclaims how Scripture is the light that shows him how to walk and where to walk. When he is afflicted- he goes to Scripture, to give him life. When he is praising God, He looks to God’s rules. When evil and the wicked come at him to snare him, he does not stray from God’s precepts. The promises and testimonies of God are his inheritance, and they are what bring him joy. He inclines his heart to obedience to God’s Word.

It is the precepts of God that give us understanding. And when we have truth, as God’s Word is truth (John 17:17), we gain understanding and discernment over our thoughts, as the Word discerns the thoughts and intentions of the heart (Heb.4:12), causing our love to abound more and more. It is then when we love that we seem to be “out of our heads”. When our heads are consumed with Christ, and God’s word, we live more and more for Him.

And so I pray that we are like the Psalmist, meditating on the Law and testimonies of God ALL DAY LONG. Because when we do we are like Christ who was the ultimate fulfilment of this Psalm. He is our standard and He is our Prize. Let us “get out of our heads” and get into Christ, let us…be in His Word