Having a Heart in a Sometimes Heartless World
Day 206 – Stinking thinking? What’s the alternative?
Scripture focus: My child, don’t lose sight of common sense and discernment. Hang on to them, for they will refresh your soul. Proverbs 3:21
“Thoughts do cause illness and should thus be studied and controlled. If they are powerful enough to make us sick, they are powerful enough to make us healthy as well. That’s why a change in your thinking is essential to detox the brain.
Consciously controlling your thought life means not letting thoughts rampage through your mind, but learning to engage interactively with each one. Your job is to analyze a thought before you decide either to accept or reject it. Keep in mind some key principles to kick-start the process of controlling your toxic thoughts:
· Thoughts create your mood.
· When you experience a fear-based emotion, you will feel depressed and your thoughts will be characterized by negativity.
· A negative thought linked to emotional turmoil will be distorted.
· Learn how thoughts form.
· Use this knowledge to increase conscious awareness of your thoughts and feelings.
· Make a conscious decision to accept or reject a thought.
· Deal with emotional strongholds and build strong memory.” Who Switched Off My Brain?
I do not want you to hear this as another message on the power of positive thinking. That’s not the point of this devotional. I want to challenge you to think truthfully. And be alert to the reality that lots of our thoughts are trashy, and unworthy of the kid of THE King!
How about an example? In the heat of an emotionally charged moment, I tried to convince my husband of the rightness of my perspective. I spoke with great conviction and didn’t feel the need to take time to listen, ask questions, or gather information that might have informed my opinion. He was interested in a dialogue; I was interested in expressing my opinion. So he shut up and let me express. He wasn’t concerned so much about the rightness or the wrongness of the issue, he simply wanted to hear and be heard. Pete was looking for relationship, I wanted my way. This could have become a hurtful exchange – fortunately, Pete got a grip and grabbed hold of his common sense. He paused to prepare. Eventually, I followed suit.
In hindsight, I realize that my husband fulfilled his responsibility in this relationship and I fell short. We’re called to step as God speaks – and that means love as God loves. There’s no escape clause for bailing on that command even if, and perhaps especially when – you are completely convinced of your own rightness. I failed to love Pete when I became more concerned with telling him how I felt than learning what he was thinking and feeling.
Both of us, seasoned in the messiness of marriage, consciously chose to control our thought life as we unpacked this messy marital moment. He didn’t jump to conclusions and over dramatize my lousy loving. I used the opportunity to make amends, restitution and express gratitude and joy for a man who took a bad situation AND chose not to make it worse. I lost sight of common sense and discernment – but by paying attention to my toxic thoughts – I was able to readjust my attitude and make a quick course correction. What we think matters. How is your thought life?
Recommended reading: 2 Chronicles 9 and 10 in the morning; Psalm 19 in the evening
“Thoughts do cause illness and should thus be studied and controlled. If they are powerful enough to make us sick, they are powerful enough to make us healthy as well. That’s why a change in your thinking is essential to detox the brain.
Consciously controlling your thought life means not letting thoughts rampage through your mind, but learning to engage interactively with each one. Your job is to analyze a thought before you decide either to accept or reject it. Keep in mind some key principles to kick-start the process of controlling your toxic thoughts:
· Thoughts create your mood.
· When you experience a fear-based emotion, you will feel depressed and your thoughts will be characterized by negativity.
· A negative thought linked to emotional turmoil will be distorted.
· Learn how thoughts form.
· Use this knowledge to increase conscious awareness of your thoughts and feelings.
· Make a conscious decision to accept or reject a thought.
· Deal with emotional strongholds and build strong memory.” Who Switched Off My Brain?
I do not want you to hear this as another message on the power of positive thinking. That’s not the point of this devotional. I want to challenge you to think truthfully. And be alert to the reality that lots of our thoughts are trashy, and unworthy of the kid of THE King!
How about an example? In the heat of an emotionally charged moment, I tried to convince my husband of the rightness of my perspective. I spoke with great conviction and didn’t feel the need to take time to listen, ask questions, or gather information that might have informed my opinion. He was interested in a dialogue; I was interested in expressing my opinion. So he shut up and let me express. He wasn’t concerned so much about the rightness or the wrongness of the issue, he simply wanted to hear and be heard. Pete was looking for relationship, I wanted my way. This could have become a hurtful exchange – fortunately, Pete got a grip and grabbed hold of his common sense. He paused to prepare. Eventually, I followed suit.
In hindsight, I realize that my husband fulfilled his responsibility in this relationship and I fell short. We’re called to step as God speaks – and that means love as God loves. There’s no escape clause for bailing on that command even if, and perhaps especially when – you are completely convinced of your own rightness. I failed to love Pete when I became more concerned with telling him how I felt than learning what he was thinking and feeling.
Both of us, seasoned in the messiness of marriage, consciously chose to control our thought life as we unpacked this messy marital moment. He didn’t jump to conclusions and over dramatize my lousy loving. I used the opportunity to make amends, restitution and express gratitude and joy for a man who took a bad situation AND chose not to make it worse. I lost sight of common sense and discernment – but by paying attention to my toxic thoughts – I was able to readjust my attitude and make a quick course correction. What we think matters. How is your thought life?
Recommended reading: 2 Chronicles 9 and 10 in the morning; Psalm 19 in the evening
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