Do
you ever find yourself struggling with your thoughts, constantly thinking about
something you really don’t want to be thinking about? Or when you think you put it out of your mind, you find it slowly creeps back
in? Well, this past week, I found myself doing just that! As hard as I
tried to change my thinking, those dreaded thoughts continually made their
way back in! Many times while I was lying in bed trying to fall asleep…When I started to notice it was affecting my mood and I was reverting back to old ways of “stress eating,” it was time to get to the bottom of this and find out how to get these thoughts out of my mind for good!
I still had joy and peaceful moments in my day, but there was this lingering “feeling” I just couldn’t quite put my
finger on. Where was it coming from and why wasn’t it going away? I started praying
about it and asking God, “Why won’t these
feelings go away? Show me what I need to know and how to change it.” God is
faithful and answers our prayers! Today during my morning time with Him, He showed me…
I
opened one of the books I am reading called “Power Thoughts” by Joyce Meyer. The
page I left off on held answers I was looking for. I know this was God directed, because I have not opened this book in
weeks! Here’s a little of what it said:
“When You
Can’t Get It Out of Your Mind”
“Not
being able to keep our minds on what we want to keep them on is one problem,
but being unable to get something off of our minds is another. We might worry
about a situation, or continually roll it over and over in our minds trying to
find a solution. We want to get it off our minds and enjoy peace, but it
appears to have taken up residence.
Does
this sound familiar to you? Do you ever experience times when you know a
particular line of thinking is making you miserable and doing absolutely no
good, but you just cannot seem to stop? We all do, but we can learn to
discipline our minds to allow other thoughts in and not focus so completely on
one issue or situation. The way to stop
thinking about something you don’t want to think about is to simply think about
something else. If you are worried, don’t just sit home and worry – get out
of the house and go do something! Get your mind on something that will produce
good fruit because worry does absolutely no good.
Satan
often works through or takes advantage of our weaknesses at the precise time
God is trying to promote us or lead us to take a step of faith that will
advance His kingdom or move us closer to fulfilling our destinies. (This really spoke to me!)
Don’t
be passive and merely wish you could get it off of your mind. Be aggressive and
refuse to lend your mind to the devil for his activity. Remember that bad
thoughts lead to bad moods and bad decisions, so don’t waste your time on
anything that doesn’t add to the quality of your life.
Make a
Choice
To
make a right and wise choice means we will probably have to discipline
ourselves to do something we don’t feel like doing, but know is best. As the
Bible states, discipline doesn’t bring immediate joy, but it does bring lasting
joy later on. The enemy is always out to destroy us and he often tries to do
that by influencing us to make bad choices – to choose to do what feels good or
is easy now, instead of what will be beneficial in the long run. These choices
may temporarily satisfy the flesh, but they don’t please God or satisfy us
permanently.
I
realize now more than ever that making right choices is the key to a happy
life, and keeping our minds on right things is another one. Don’t let your mind
wander around and do whatever it pleases. Remember, you have a spirit of
discipline and self-control. You have been given a sound mind” (Meyer, 2010).
So, you and I have a choice! We can choose to
continue to dwell on the thoughts that are affecting our lives and
our days negatively, or we can choose to think on positive things that will
bring inner peace and joy to our days. Today I am going to “choose” to think on the good things! Why don’t you join me?
2 Timothy
1:7 “For God did not give us a spirit of fear, but of power, and of love, and
of a sound mind.”
Reference
Meyer,
J. (2010). Power thoughts. (1 ed., pp. 245-248). New York, NY:
FaithWords