Good faith works the same way a compass does

The concept of good faith is analogous to that of a compass

The very first orienteering competition I ever participated in is still vivid in my mind. I had just turned 20 and was finishing up my undergraduate degree in Outdoor Education. This task unit required participants to participate in a structured competition.

A buddy and I decided to compete as a women’s team. We stumbled our way to Victoria’s YouYangs National Park. I couldn’t believe how many people showed up on such a chilly fall day for the event.

We spent three hours running in a circle, along with many other teams and individuals, in order to earn the different medals and trophies that were awarded to those who had completed the course.

Map reading, collaboration, stamina, and use of a compass are only a few of the skills required to complete an orienteering course. Compasses are useful for finding your bearings, determining which direction north is on a map, and for navigating unfamiliar territory (which way you are facing). It’s a great tool for figuring out where you want to go next on your journey.

Compasses rely on being parallel to the magnetic fields at the planet’s center in order to function. The compass is calibrated by the Earth’s magnetic field and may be used to find your way.

However, other metal things can interfere with this, and using a compass near a huge metal object like a car can obfuscate the findings of the compass. By continuously stroking a metal object along the compass needle, it is possible to “re-wire” the compass to provide a false reading.

Impacting a magnet repeatedly in the same direction can cause the magnet’s compass needle to point in a different direction over time, as the magnet realigns the metal shavings in the compass needle with the piece of metal striking the magnet.

In Philippians 4:8, the Bible instructs believers to think about “things that are true, noble, just, pure, beautiful, of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy.”

We are admonished to give thought to our actions and to actively seek out that which is good. Believers are commanded to meditate on God’s Word throughout the Bible.

Chewing the cud, mulling things over, ruminating—these are all synonyms for the act of meditation. The mental image of a cow happily munching on its cud appeals to me. A cow’s digestive system consists of four separate stomachs. The grass they consume passes through a series of stages beginning with ingestion, continuing through regurgitation and meditation, and finally ending in the bowels, where it is digested.

Taking in an idea or concept is the first step in the meditation process, which may involve reflecting on it repeatedly throughout the day. Just giving anything some mental attention seems to strengthen it. There are several verses in the Bible that stress the importance of contemplating God’s word. However, concentrating and brooding on negative ideas will only serve to reinforce such thoughts.

Make Magnetic Contact

The act of meditation, in my opinion, is analogous to striking a magnet. When you dwell on something—a person, an experience, or an idea—you set your internal compass in a direction that is more congruent with your thoughts. The mind is like a magnet; if you keep “hitting” it in the same direction again and over, sooner or later it will begin to turn in that direction.

The Bible states that if you dwell on good things you will have a positive view, and I agree. On the other hand, if you dwell on negative ideas, feelings, and encounters, you will develop a pessimistic worldview.

Dissimilarity in perspective

This may also shed light on why it might be so difficult to comprehend the reasoning of others who have views and ideas that are diametrically opposed to your own. Your perspective on the world will be heavily influenced by your background, upbringing, education, and career choices.

One person’s upbringing, background, and history will be different from another. We may alter our perspectives by giving them repeated, sustained consideration and ruminating on them. However, we have the ability to refocus our efforts. As Romans 12:2 puts it, “be changed by the renewing of your mind, that you may test what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.”

Every day, we get the chance and the decision to choose the course for our lives and our brains. Compass needles don’t flip their bearings overnight, but they can be reoriented with enough gentle strokes from another magnet. Just as our lives can be redirected if we take a few minutes each day to think about where we want to go, writing down any thoughts that pop into our heads but don’t contribute to that end goal, we can do the same with our thoughts.