Mental Assent & Good Intentions = enemies of the finish line!
May 1st, 2009 by Dr. Helene
After 28 years of teaching, training, instructing and counseling people of every age and on every level the title of this segment is an absolute truth. I personally trained people in the secular corporate world and a ministerial church, college world.
My first several years in business I found quickly that Mental Assent is an enemy to a goal. It disguises itself to the speaker, comes with an agreeable expression and often with body language that says “I understand”, only to later find it went nowhere in the hearer. So as any good trainer, teacher etc., an immediate repositioning occurs as to how you reapproach what was obviously an overlooked lesson. Only to later find that some people never really get it!
There are 2 points of thought here:
1) If you are the teacher, trainer etc… do not get discouraged by people who listen and yet never respond. It is the old …you can take a horse to water but you can’t make them drink adage. It does not diminish your message or your technique. It is simply what the scripture states by Jesus himself… those who have an ear to hear… hear what the spirit is saying. This is obviously not speaking of an actual ear it is speaking of the ability to receive what is said. When information is received it is incorporated into the thought process and now will allow new method to solve or redefine a thing.
2) If you are the person who sits, listens and readily agrees yet never applies that which is spoken to you…..STOP IT, YOU ARE DRIVING THE REST OF US CRAZY!! This person will complain the rest of their life that nothing ever changes for them. Same issues year after year with no resolve!! Unfortunately some people find their worth in the complaint and some just don’t know how to get out of this vicious cycle. STOP!! Evaluate what you want different, find out real information on how to make the change, make a plan, AND DO IT!! Make yourself follow through!! One small victory at a time will set a new precedent in your life, and will encourage you to tackle the next thing so your tomorrow will be greater than your yesterday. One thing I would encourage greatly is get a “real friend” who will tell you the truth and hold you accountable to the things you know you need to do!! I am talking about a person who will tell you when you look fat in that outfit or food is stuck in your teeth friend….not the American Idol lying friend who tells someone they are great, only to appear in the worse of the worst reels on the commercials!!!
Enough about Mental Assent…..Let’s tackle Good Intentions…
As I stated earlier that my time in the secular arena it was all about Mental Assent, but when I taught in the church world it also incorporated the concept of good intentions. Usually this occurs when we make a decision to do something due to our emotions at the time. I saw a need so ….. I know I should so…..on and on. The problem with this is that we think it is ok to commit to a thing when we feel like it, knowing we should, and later when the emotions are no longer strong and the need is no longer in our immediate view, we change our mind. We don’t say we change our mind we simply never follow through! We say things to make ourselves feel better about not accomplishing something we know we should do…..The Lord knows my heart…. I would if I could BUT….I guess I still could if you really want me too…on and on. This is prevalent in the church world. There is this strange religious mindset that says you have to forgive me, the Lord forgives me! Using grace as an excuse to come up short as a person is not what God had in mind! The scripture teaches us …let your Yes be Yes or your No be No!…..what is worse the son who says no and then does it or the son who says yes and then doesn’t. It is clear in the word it is far worse for the son that says he will and does not bother to. These people usually find it gratifying enough just to talk about what they want to do and never accomplish a thing! Good intentions benefit no one without corresponding actions. Faith without works is dead. So how do I change if I am a person who has good intentions and yet never accomplishes them. First, choose well what you commit to … Those who build a house must first consider the cost of the house to determine if they have enough to finish it … don’t start a thing you have no intention on finishing. Do not make an emotional decision make a qualified one. If I start it will I finish it? If the answer is no than do not start!! If the answer is yes, then make a plan and DO IT!! Do not give yourself an excuse to make yourself feel better about yet another failed attempt at what is right!! You can change this and become an effective person at everything you put your hand to. Choose you this day!!!

