Are you imagining things?

A question like that generally could make us feel defensive …. “No of course I’m not” is often the reply. I think the truth is that at times we should be imagining things. Let me try to explain.

Last week I read a piece where someone had written that too often we misuse our imagination, and the end result is that it prevents us from doing what we should do or could do. Sometimes we have negative thoughts about what will happen and then we act as if the negative thought is a reliable prediction of what will happen; and that affects our decisions.

So, for example, “If I apply for that job I’ll never get it cos there’s more capable people than me after it” “If I start that course, I’ll probably never finish it, or I’ll fail” “If I try to bake such and such, it’ll probably fail cos I’m not very good”. We think we might fail, or not reach a certain (self-imposed) standard and so we decide not to do whatever it is. We are imagining a bad result. Our imagination has actually prevented us from action. I know that there are things that I have not attempted because I have imagined failure as a possible outcome.

As I thought about this , I began to think a little more about imagination. When it prevents us from attempting and achieving it is not helpful. In the Old Testament, everywhere imagination is mentioned, the context is bad – the evil imaginations of human beings that led to evil behaviour. So, is imagination a bad thing?

We are created by God with the ability to imagine. If I ask you to think about your favourite holiday, you will quite easily be able to imagine what your ideal holiday will be like. You can even imagine things that are not real – for instance Pink Elephants, or Pigs that fly!

Every invention that we use, started off as an imagination, whether it is a chair or a mobile phone. Someone, somewhere first imagined these things. They didn’t then say “well that’s silly, that would be too hard to make”. They held onto the imagination and pursued it until it became a reality.

So where does imagination fit in our walk with God? The truth is that we were created with the ability to imagine, and that God intends us to use that ability. God Himself, imagined Creation before He spoke even one creative word of command. He had imagined sky, and land, and sea, and you and me before ever He said “Let there be…..” To imagine is to see how things could be.

Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us.

Eph 3v20

God is able to do more than all we ask or imagine and we, who are made in Gods image are allowed to ask for things to be different, and to imagine – to think about how things could be. Always this is in the context of “Your will be done, Your kingdom come on the earth, just in the same way that it operates in heaven”. But the imagining is meant to encourage us to action. The Greek word used for imagining in this verse in Ephesians, means “to exercise the mind”. Sometimes we need to exercise our minds. Our mind is not meant to flit randomly from one topic to another.

As we imagine how things could be, what heaven coming to earth would look like in our situation, something changes inside us. I don’t mean just a fleeting thought that disappears as a line of other random thoughts appear; I mean exercising the mind. Thinking repeatedly down this line.

Let me give you an example. A few years ago I would watch videos of christians praying for people on the streets and people being healed. At first I thought “Wow, that’s amazing. I could never do that”. My imagination was saying ‘it’ll never work for you……you’re not like these guys that see people healed……people won’t let you pray for them……even if they do they won’t get healed and then you’ll look a right Wally…..’ My imagination was working, but wrongly. Then something happened. A voice inside me – Holy Spirit – was whispering to me “but why not you?”. I began to want to see His will done on earth as it is in heaven. I would watch the videos again and think about it as if it was me praying for someone….. I was using my imagination as it was designed to be used. Positively not negatively.

The first time I got to pray for someone to be healed (a Pakistani Muslim) on Fore Street outside Beales Store, I was not beset by doubts or fears or worries about what everyone else around might think. Exercising my mind, using my imagination properly, had changed me inside. The guy was instantly healed of toothache. He was shocked. Haha, and so was I!

So, Go on. Begin to imagine how things could be. Don’t settle for ‘I can’t’ …. ‘It won’t work’ ….. ‘It’s never been done before’ ….. ‘Some people won’t like it’ ….Imagine if this is how heaven can come to earth where you are. Imagine those prophetic words over your life fulfilled. And always remember, God can do more than you can imagine. He will surprise you with more.

Is it time for adventure?