Thoughts Can Be Dangerous Things!

Do you ever think about thinking? Our thoughts are pretty powerful, more powerful than we even can imagine. God knows that. In fact, he warns us about how powerful they are.

I know we women can easily let our thoughts control our lives. We think about all the things that might happen. We stew and worry and stress, sometimes to the point that we freeze with fear. I’m not a psychologist, and I know that negative thoughts and panic attacks are real. But I also know that when one focuses only on negative “what if” thoughts, those thoughts magnify and can be paralyzing.

Do Moods Affect Our Thoughts Or Thoughts Affect Our Moods??

For us women, our thoughts and our moods go hand-in-hand. Men tend to blow things off easier than we do. That drives me crazy sometimes! My husband doesn’t let anything faze him! If you haven’t read my post about our moods, check it out: https://grandma-d.com/mood-swings-gods-got-this/

God has some wise words to tell us about our thoughts. After all, who knows us better than the One who made us?  I think it might be a good idea to listen to Him. He knows that the things we think about can either help us grow closer to Him or can defeat us. How are your thoughts making you feel? Are you dreading each day or looking forward to new opportunities?

Renovate Those Thoughts!

Let’s think about our thinking a bit. In Romans 12:2, we are told, “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.” The Greek word for renewal also can be translated “renovation.” We renovate our home to change its appearance. Maybe we want to update or repair something that is broken. Maybe our home just needs refreshing. Our minds need that, too. But it’s not a simple DIY change, it’s a DIGW (Do It God’s Way) renovation.

When we do a “thinking test” it can help us to understand where our thoughts are coming from. Are they positive? Are they good? Are they drawing us closer to Him? If you are feeling down, discouraged, unloved, fearful, impatient, or angry, what thoughts are you feeding yourself? If they are dragging you down, then they are not from God. Period. They need to stop.

I’ve Been There, Too!

I know you are thinking, “Grandma D, it isn’t that easy. You just don’t understand.” I may not understand exactly what you are thinking, but I do know how my negative thoughts tore down my life and my walk with God. The lies I told myself kept building and building until my self-esteem was at rock bottom. I felt lost, alone, and I didn’t even want to leave my house. And when you’re down there, it is a long way to get back up. It can feel pretty hopeless. Can you relate?

The only way I could get back up was when I looked up. Our Father knows the power of our thoughts. Sometimes we have to keep feeding ourselves positive thoughts even if we don’t feel them. We are in a battle with Satan for our minds. He is evil. He knows we become weak and useless if we believe the negative thoughts we tell ourselves. Or maybe I should say the lies Satan keeps trying to feed us. That really is what is happening!

This is War!

In 2 Corinthians 10:4-5, we are told, “For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds. We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God and take every thought captive to obey Christ.”

Thankfully, we are not in this battle alone. Those weapons are from the power of the Holy Spirit living in us (if you don’t know about that, send me a message, and I can tell you about it. It’s life-changing, for sure!).

Even if we feel like we are losing and Satan has an ever-tightening grip, God promises us that with His weapons we can destroy Satan’s hold on us. Every argument and every negative opinion that tell us we are worthless have no power when we take control of our thoughts. Yes, Satan’s hold on us can be totally smashed, demolished and shattered. That’s good news, isn’t it?

Focus on Good Thoughts!

So, how do we take these negative thoughts captive? Well, God has a plan for that, too. In Colossians 3:2, Paul tells us: “Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth.” So our first step is to change our FOCUS. When negative thoughts come, and I know they will, change your focus to positive ones. The “things above” are all the good stuff we need.

Paul said what that good stuff is in Philippians 4:8, “Finally, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.” That’s a pretty thorough list! He tells us to focus on those things. In other words, make a conscious effort to fill your mind with those kinds of thoughts. You may not feel them, but you need to keep feeding them into your brain anyway.

Good Thoughts Take Practice!

The old saying, “Practice makes perfect” is really true about our thinking. It may sound unimaginable, but you can practice good thoughts until you believe them! The Message paraphrases that same verse in Philippians even more clearly: “Summing it all up, friends, I’d say you’ll do best by filling your minds and meditating on things true, noble, reputable, authentic, compelling, gracious—the best, not the worst; the beautiful, not the ugly; things to praise, not things to curse.” Those are the kinds of things I certainly want my life to be filled with, don’t you?

Frame Your Thoughts!

The second step is to FRAME. There are times when we can talk ourselves into feeling better. But putting things into perspective also helps. Sometimes I just need to have a hard talk with myself. If I’m feeling angry, is what I’m feeling making me miserable? Our anger destroys us more than it ever does the person with whom we are angry. Is it worth it?  Angry thoughts are destructive to our peace and happiness. In the long run, it’s better for us to forgive and move on, for our own sake as well as for the other person.

What about fear? Frame your fear in light of His truth. When we worry to the point of fear, it cripples us. We miss out on life. When we stop and think honestly about it, what we worry about rarely ever happens. Ask yourself, what is my fear accomplishing? What do I really want to do? What outcome would make me truly happy? It’s certainly not cowering in fear and missing out on so much of life, right? When you frame those negative thoughts in the scheme of what you really want the outcome to be, you can be more confident and tackle your fears.

Good Thoughts Give Us Peace!

God also has so much to say about that. One of my favorite verses is His promise in Isaiah 26:3. It says,  “You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you because he trusts in you.” The more we keep our minds on His love, His plans and His will the more we can trust His promise of perfect peace. It is a promise that you can claim every day.

Remember that phase I mentioned earlier – practice makes perfect? Even if you don’t feel it, act until you do. I know that it won’t always work, but even the baby steps are moving you in the right direction. So take a deep breath and be brave! You can do it!

Have Faith in God’s Love and Protection!

The third step is have FAITH. Believe that He loves you and wants what is best for you. Those negative thoughts just drive a wedge between Him and you. I know you don’t want that. It’s time to make a conscious effort to turn up your faith and turn down those thoughts that make you miserable.

The next time you start to think that you are worthless, tell yourself to stop! Remind yourself that you are His precious child. When you start to feel frightened, stop and tell yourself that the Creator of the Universe has you in His arms and He will protect you. When you are feeling lonely, remind yourself that you are loved by the One who will never leave you or forsake you. His love is unconditional! You don’t have to earn it or measure up to a perfect standard. You just come to Him as you are. His arms are open, waiting for you to run into them.

Here’s a Good Thought — You Get a New Start Every Day!

So, what do you do when you mess up and feel defeated all over again? Well, He has good news about that, too! In Lamentations 3:22-23, He promises, “The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.”

Yep, every single day you get to try again. He washes away all those feelings and negative thoughts you had yesterday. Every single one of them! So why take them back again? Why let them ruin another day? Claim His promise!

Get Closer To Him!

Praying and reading His word can make you stronger. When you start to feel sad, unloved or scared, sing. Sing loud and tell Satan to LEAVE YOU ALONE! Practice until you believe it.

Yes, I know for sure that I can build a wall of positive thoughts around me and when a negative thought tries to penetrate that wall, it will bounce off and fall right to the ground. If I start to feel scared, I stop and think about His peace. When I feel alone, I think about His presence. When I think I am worthless, I remember how much He values me (enough to make me His own daughter!).

If you are feeling those negative thoughts, it may be hard, but you have to stop them. They will continue to grow and fill your mind until you feel out of control. That’s pretty scary, I know! More than anything, God wants you to live a full, blessed life. He wants you to know how much you are loved. He wants you to rest in His promises. One step at a time can turn into one day at a time. You’ve got this, dear one!

Love, Grandma D     

PRAYER:

Dear Father, we know in our hearts that you love us, but sometimes we let negative thoughts distract us from your promises. Please help us to keep our focus on you and your word. Take away our fears and fill us with your peace. Remind us that we are never alone and that you’re  always watching and protecting us.

In Jesus’ name, Amen.