Renewing of the Mind pt 4

[joannbkkpr]

Chapter 3

Assemble the Tribe

(STEP 2)

“For by wise guidance you will wage war, and in abundance of counselors there is victory.” (Proverbs 24:6)

Call in the troops. Now is the time to contact your “need to know people”. Your tribe may consist of those people closest to you or those who you know are Godly, loyal, and care about your will-being.

For some, the tribe will be close friends. For others the council will consist of a mixture of ministers, friends, and or family. Most recently, my tribe consisted of my siblings. Sometimes it consists of longtime friends. Tribes do change depending on what the issue is and who you feel led to confide in.

The purpose of your tribe is to offer wise counsel and advice. These are not “yes men”. They are the ones who will:

• Mirror God’s love and support for you.
• Tell you the honest objective truth about your circumstances.
• Listen to your problem and offer their sincere encouragement.
• Pray with you and agree with you for a victorious outcome.
• Offer assistance where they can.
• Continue to intercede long after the conversation is over.
• Make themselves available to you for support.

Tribal meetings are not for venting, complaining, blaming, and condemning. When you’re in a faith fight, you want to avoid all of the negativity. Remember whatever you agree on is what you will have, so if you’re sitting around agreeing about how terrible your life is, you will have more of that.

“The way of a fool is right in his own eyes, but a wise man is he who listens to counsel.” (Proverbs 12:15)

Wise people will speak wisdom into your life. They will pray with you and help you remain accountable. If you don’t feel comfortable consulting others, that’s okay too.

I Don’t Have (or Want) To Assemble A Tribe

There have been times in my life when my tribe consisted of God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit.

Times when I didn’t feel like I could talk to anyone else for fear of being misunderstood or judged. Most of us have experienced such times when the fear, guilt, and or shame keeps us from reaching out to anyone.

A tribe is not something that you take likely or assemble out of desperation. Ask for discernment. Avoid pretenders at all cost. People who appear trustworthy but lack the integrity necessary to be a confidant. Don’t feel like you have to pull a group of people into your situation if that makes you uncomfortable. Take the time to get to know the hearts and minds of the people around you. That usually happens long before you enter a crisis. Relationships take time to build.

Again, use discernment. They don’t have to be perfect. None is perfect but the Father. But if a person is willing to help you stir up confusion, they are not a good example of “wise counsel” and you may want to think twice about allowing them in your tribal family.

If you don’t have a tribe, consider keeping a prayer journal. In it, share your true day to day feelings with the Lord. Pour out your emotions on the paper. End each entry with prayer and thanksgiving. I kept one during my 21 Day Daniel Fast.

Research has shown that writing is therapeutic and has proven to decrease stress and improve mental health. I mentioned before, several years ago, after an extreme dip in my income, I nearly lost my home. I was ten months behind on my mortgage and stressed beyond belief. I went into faith mode. I kept a journal that I actually shared in my book, How a Hope Seed Grows.

What do you journal about? When you don’t have a tribe, journal about:

• How your day went
• Events that happen big or small
• Outcomes you desire
• Brainstorms of possible solutions
• Prayers and faith confessions
• Scriptures that encourage you
• Faith confessions and prayers

The possibilities are endless. You will find that God begins to speak to you through your journaling experience. Your answer could be just a journal entry away. You don’t have to keep everything inside just because you don’t have people to confide. In. the trinity is always with you.

The next step is to put your doubts on hold.