Wandering Thoughts

One of the byproducts of the pandemic and its times of isolation has been our tendency to get lost in our own thoughts. Many people have reported having difficulty in focusing, being more anxious than usual, spending too much time on their devices, or struggling with their relationship with God. A lot of our problems stem from what Adam Grant calls "languishing," or "a state of stagnation and emptiness" that feels as though we are muddling through our days and "looking at life through a foggy windshield." John Wesley's sermon on "Wandering Thoughts" is thus a helpful guide for our times and an encouragement to refocus our thought life on what really matters. Written long before the days of cell phones, screens, and notifications, Wesley offers some wisdom for sorting out which thought patterns lead to sin from those distractions that are merely part of being human. Learning to mitigate those distractions and "take every thought captive to obey Christ" (2 Corinthians 10:5) is key to living a sanctified life. 

Read Wandering Thoughts

Read Adam Grant's article on "languishing" in The New York Times (may be behind paywall) or, better yet, listen to his TED Talk on languishing.

Check out Cal Newport's book Digital Minimalism 

Send your questions and comments to host Bob Kaylor at pastorbk@tlumc.org and follow Bob on Twitter @revbkaylor