August 13, 2018

What Are You Thinking?

We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ. – 2 Corinthians 10:5

How good are you at controlling the thoughts that race through your mind? Are you good at replacing ugliness with God’s truth? Do you obsess over wrongs done to you? Do you give your troubles to God or do you insist on worrying without ceasing?

Honestly, I struggle with this issue. It’s a constant back and forth. The only thing that seems to work for me is to find an appropriate Scripture verse and repeat it over and over and over again. And, yes, I sometimes struggle with that too.

I have taken Joyce Meyer’s Battle Field of the Mind Bible study. It’s wonderful, by the way. There’s just so much truth in it. What we think about, what we obsess over, is the god that is controlling us. If we think ugly thoughts, we’ll become ugly people. If we transform our minds into thinking like Jesus, we’ll become more like Jesus.

Sounds simple, doesn’t it? And, I suppose, it is. In theory, anyway. But day to day frustrations, insecurities and issues have a way of coming full force at us and causing us to lose our peace and, ultimately, our way.

I sometimes wonder how much time we spend worrying about things we can’t change anyway. Have you ever thought of it that way? We want to control our own lives but the reality is that the actions of others impact so much of what happens. Think of it like this: You can be an incredibly safe, observant driver but you can’t control the speeding driver who, high on drugs, runs a stop sign and smashes into your car.

What we can control is how we handle what happens. We don’t have to respond to ugliness. We don’t have to be filled with anger and rage. We don’t have to host a pity party because something bad happened to us. We can give all that to God and walk forward, healed by the blood of Christ.

We also don’t have to give in to the ugliness others throw at us. Jesus told us to love our enemies and to do good to those who seek to harm us. He was right. (I know. He’s always right.) Have you ever done something good to someone who has purposely tried to hurt you? They don’t know what to do with it.

The same is true when you respond in kindness when someone lashes out in anger. They’re trying to pick a fight and you aren’t showing up. You can’t change them but you can refuse to be baited and pulled into ugliness.

Beth Moore wrote a book titled Praying God’s Word. It’s a wonderful book that I recommend to anyone. It has a section on praying for your enemies. It even comes with a fill-in-the-blank section so you can insert the person’s name into the open space. It’s incredibly powerful. It’s really hard to hold on to anger and bitterness when you are literally praying God’s Word over the person who harmed you.

I will probably always struggle with controlling the thoughts that ricochet through my mind. But I won’t give up. I won’t give in to Satan. I will ask God for help and continue to work toward replacing ugliness and worry with His Word. That’s the path to peace and joy.

May 7, 2016

Thoughts Control You

How long must I wrestle with my thoughts
and day after day have sorrow in my heart?
How long will my enemy triumph over me

-- Psalm 13:2

What’s on your mind today? What keeps coming up as you travel through your day? Who has upset you? What has happened that you keep rehashing again and again?

Because whatever is on your mind is what controls you.

So many of our battles actually take place in our mind. We go over and over events that are past -- some good and some bad -- and never seem to move on. Maybe you’ve met someone who still lives for the glory days of high school, even though it was years ago. Or maybe you know someone who suffered through a divorce a decade ago and yet the bitterness comes out again and again.

Or maybe you spend your time worrying about what might happen in the future. It’s so easy to imagine all kinds of scenarios that aren’t likely to ever occur. We waste so much time and energy on a future we can’t predict. Do what you can to prepare and trust God to see you through the rest. In other words, let it go.

We can’t possibly enjoy today when our minds are on the past or the future. Life is what happens when we’re grieving the past and planning the future. Focus on life.

It’s especially hard to enjoy today when we’re trying to come to terms with heartbreak. That person is still gone every minute of every day. There is a void there where a loved one once stood. That’s where the choice comes: Do we wallow in what we can’t change or rejoice over memories and the promise of an eternal reunion?

That sounds callous doesn’t it? I don’t mean it to be. Even years after the loss, grief can come crashing in suddenly and fiercely. But the choice not to dwell there belongs to you. It comes with taking control of your thoughts rather than letting the grief control you.

The same is true with betrayal. It’s easy to get caught up in thoughts of revenge and justice. For what purpose? God avenges His own. Don’t let someone who betrayed you continue to control you by occupying your thoughts. Trust God to handle it in His time. He will.

King David frequently poured out his anguish and grief to God. We can learn from him and do the same. There’s something so freeing in giving God all that’s in the past, all the worries for the future, our grief and our brokenness. It allows us to refocus our minds on today and the joy that comes anew each morning with His Presence and our love for the One who saved us.

Thursday, August 16, 2012

Your Thoughts Determine Who You Are

Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable -- if anything is excellent or praiseworthy -- think about such things.

-- Philippians 4:8

What did you think about today? What occupied your mind? What did you consider? What did you determine? Did you think good thoughts about people? Did you berate yourself for not meeting your own expectations?

Why is it important? Because where your mind goes, you go too. If you think you’ve failed, you did -- whether you really did or not. If you think bad thoughts about someone, you’re going to turn them into someone they probably aren’t -- because our imaginations have a way of seeming like reality.

How about another question: What are your goals? Where are you headed? How do you see your life unfolding? I know. That was more than one question but I do have a point to make. How you visualize your life, is how it will likely unfold.

So, do you see yourself as someone who is kind and giving, compassionate and patient? Or are you a go-getter willing to stomp on anyone to advance yourself and your own agenda? The answer could determine how willing you are to make right choices in your life.

It comes down to making conscious choices to follow God -- and to resist the lures Satan dangles before you. You refocus your mind on who you want to be in Christ. Not because it feels right and good. Because it might not. Instead, you do what is right and good until it becomes natural and feels right. It’s that old cliché of faking it until you make it.

I know it sounds kind of overwhelming. And like I don’t get how hard it can be to retrain your thoughts. But I do. It’s an ongoing process that I work on everyday. That’s the key: it’s a process.

Any task can seem overwhelming until you break it down into manageable chunks. Or moments. Or choices. Ask God where He wants you to begin. Maybe He wants you to think nice thoughts about that neighbor who drives you nuts. So you do. It isn’t easy. For every nice thought, you think 20 not nice thoughts. But slowly that changes and you find yourself thinking nice thoughts instead of harboring the negative ones in your heart.

And you know what happens? You begin to see your neighbor through God’s eyes. You’re kinder. More compassionate. And, slowly, you become the person you wanted to be. One choice at a time.