By Peggy Rice
It was a tough morning.
The computer project I was working on was not working the way it should, and I was feeling overwhelmed. I’m experiencing distance in a relationship that is normally very close to me. My kids have made choices that are opposed to the way we raised them. And to top it all off, my crochet blanket was not turning out as the You-Tube Video promised!
I was feeling like a failure. My stomach started to hurt.
And those words kept reverberating in my head. “You’re such a failure. You’re so inadequate. You’re not worthy. You’re less than capable. You can’t do it. You’ve failed.”
They were really loud phrases. Really loud voices. They played over and over in my head as I tried to get the computer project to work, to count the stitches in the blanket. As I tried to read my daily devotional and pray to the God of the Universe. As I tried to focus on Advent and the coming of our Savior.
But the voices in my head were louder.
Until I said, “Stop!”
Until I forced my thoughts to think on the character of God, who He is. And who He says I am in Him.
God is Savior. God is patient. God is love. God is all-knowing. God is forgiving. God gives second chances. God never leaves me. God is faithful.
I am a child of God. I am more than a conqueror. I am complete. I am redeemed. I am chosen. I am loved.
I had let my thoughts get away from me.
Scripture tells us: “Finally, brothers and sisters, 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)
I had been thinking the wrong things.
God tells us what to think about, to help us avoid those thoughts in our head that can run away with our emotions. And our emotions – our feelings – can’t always be trusted. Our feelings even sometimes lead our bodies along, like how my stomach began to hurt. That physical response was driven by my emotions, my feelings. And none of it was true!
That’s why it’s important to control our minds, to “take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ” (2 Corinthians 10:5). We need to manage what we’re thinking about, not just let our minds wander with self-condemnation or worry.
Several years ago, I began a practice of turning my worries into prayers. Instead of letting my mind get the best of me with negative and worrisome thoughts, just letting them roll around in my head, I directed them heavenward. I took what I was thinking and put it into prayer. I shifted my focus to the God who knows my thoughts already. But He wants to hear from me. He wants me to bring those thoughts and worries and give them to Him, because He cares for me (1 Peter 5:7). It became a way to “pray without ceasing” (I Thessalonians 5:17).
I encourage you to give it a try. The next time you hear self-condemnation or worry in your thoughts, pray about it. Shift the focus to God. Think about who He is, what He says to think about, what He says about you as His chosen and dearly loved child. Give Him your thoughts and ask Him to replace them with His truth. He’ll meet you there.
Peggy has been involved with Fresh Hope as a Group Facilitator for 5 years and as the Hope Coach trainer for 3. You can reach her at peggy@freshhope.us
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