Scriptural Foundation:
2 Timothy 1:7 New King James Version (NKJV)
For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.
1 Peter 1:13-16 New King James Version (NKJV)
Therefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and rest your hope fully upon the grace that is to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ; 14 as obedient children, not conforming yourselves to the former lusts, as in your ignorance; 15 but as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, 16 because it is written, “Be holy, for I am holy.”
Reflection:
Several years ago, I started pausing more. I noticed in the Word a lot of references to waiting and decided to apply it to my day-to-day walk. What I found was I had a lot of squirrely thoughts running through my head. It was overwhelming in the beginning and I asked the Holy Spirit to give me an approach for guarding my mind. That approach was to dismiss all identified negative thoughts.
Negative thoughts breed fearful thoughts. Easier said than done…it required me to examine myself a little more. Were these thoughts birthed out of frustration or animosity for a person or situation? If so, I would ask the Lord to help me with that issue. Then came the people in my life that were particularly challenging. As you may recall, they are my “grace growers’. The manure they provide offends my spiritual nose and at times gets a rise out of my flesh, but even they are there to improve my walk with the Lord.
On the other side of the spectrum, have you noticed some believers talk just as much about the devil than about the Lord? They are always telling you about this struggle or that struggle that they are experiencing in their lives. A phase that I hear from time to time…no level, new devil. I honestly can’t stand hearing it. The devil was defeated at Calvary – end of story. Some Believers are scared to step on in faith, because the opposition that may come along. Yes, there is a battle in our mind, but that is no reason to shrink back, instead forge ahead. We are called to help plunder hell and populate heaven with souls for our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
I don’t think I have this thought wrangling in the bag, but the fact that I am aware and continue to try to control dwelling on the negative is a step in the right direction.
Seeking Revelation:
Grab your notebook:
- “Listen” to yourself for the next few days.
- Compile your “greatest hits” of negative thoughts that just keep popping up.
- Present this list to the Lord and then ask Him what you should do about getting rid of them for good.