“In theory there’s no difference between theory and practice, but in practice there is.”
_Yogi Berra
It is important to remember that listening to other people’s thoughts is not thinking. That’s just listening. And as profound and beneficial as listening to others can be, it is important that you spend time thinking for yourself.
Think about it (a bit of a pun intended): What good is it to daily drink from a fire hydrant of information and knowledge and not take the time to figure out what you’re going to do with it? (Or at least to intentionally file it away so that you will know where to look when you do need it.)
Honestly, this is one of the reasons I write my blog post. I hope it benefits others, but I have found that “thinking with my pen” helps me to process things (think).
For example, this post was inspired by the following quote:
“The ultimate freedom we have as individuals is the power to select what we will allow or require our minds to dwell upon and think about. The focus of your thoughts significantly affects everything else that happens in your life and evokes the feelings that frame your world and motivate your actions.” — Life Without Lack: Living in the Fullness of Psalm 23 by Dallas Willard
As I reflected on Willard’s words it occurred to me at the time that I didn’t really think as much as I should. Oh I read, listened to podcasts, and watched helpful videos daily—it was a constant stream. But I was always moving on to the next great thing; thinking about what I had just consumed was an interruption!
Willard stopped me in my tracks.
And I hope he and I will stop you in your tracks so that you take time to put an invisible Dome of Silence over your head and think—really think.
To not do so is like preparing meals each day. You’re busy chopping and dicing and slicing and stewing and baking and wonderful smells are emanating from your pots and pans and oven but…you never stop to eat except to nibble a bite here or there.
What good is all the effort?
For what purpose?
For what benefit for you and others?
Ever learning, but never coming to the knowledge of the truth.
(2 Timothy 3:7)
Two things I have stopped that has greatly increased my time for thinking are:
- While continuing my reading (thinking is required to read), I have greatly-and I mean greatly-cut back my consumption of podcasts and videos.
- I’ve stopped consuming news. I may look once a day at the headlines from a very reliable source and stop at that. (If it is important, someone will tell you–trust me on this.)
What I’ve discovered with keeping up with the news is that virtually all of it is voyeuristic noise that quickly leads me into the lurid and trivial and is not helpful or worthy of my time and attention.
The ONE THING for today: Listening and watching is not thinking.
The ONE THING 
Thanks Pastor David thanks for sharing
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