Reflection of I'm Not a Freak-Out Woman

Ahhh....my Unglued time (for those of you just tuning in, I'm blogging my way through Heartwork of this book I'm reading).

 

I'm still working on my Memory Verses (I will probably always be working on them, & I'm okay with that):

1) "...let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us." Hebrews 12:1b

2) "We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ." 2 Corinthians 10:5

 

Alright, now to my Reflection of Chapter 2: I'm Not a Freak-Out Woman

(Again, there were questions asked & I'm just going to put my answers/discussion here. If you are reading --of have read-- the book, you will notice I'm just rewriting a lot of what Lysa said. But today's Heartwork just asks questions that can be found in the book....not a lot of extra thought on it)

 

Lysa has an interesting view on perspective (it made SO MUCH sense to me):

Perspective is crucial. It is a key to not coming unglued.

 

When an emotion is tied to a thought pattern, the memory trace grows exponentially stronger. With each repetition the trace goes deeper & deeper, forming & embedding a pattern of thought. We tend to forget most of our random thoughts that aren't tied to emotions; but keep the ones that have an emotional tie.

 

I don't develop new responses till I develop new thoughts. Renewing my mind with new thoughts is crucial. New thoughts come from new perspective. When I gain new perspectives, I can see new ways of thinking.

 

The Bible encourages this process. It is possible to be completely changed through transformed thought patterns:

"Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is--his good, pleasing and perfect will." Romans 12:2

I can also accept or refuse thoughts. Instead of being held hostage by old thought patterns (being held prisoner by those negative ones), I can actually capture my thoughts and allow the power of Christ's truth to change them:

"We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ." 2 Corinthians 10:5

 

I CANNOT control the things that happen to me each day, but I CAN control how I think about them! By changing my thought patterns (accepting the positive ones along with God's Truth AND refusing the negative ones), I can face things that are out of my control & not act out of control. Getting into a tizzy about things will fix nothing. It just adds more stress & anxiety to an already tense situation. But as long as I believe --really believe-- God is there & that He is out to do me good, I can stop freaking out trying to fix everything on my own. I can rest in the fact that God is in control; He's got this. I've just got to let go, & give it to Him.

 

When Joshua was about to face Jericho, he asked a question to God; but it was the wrong question. He asked God whose side He was on.....instead, Joshua should have asked himself: "Whose side am I on?" The same goes for me....when I am faced with a tough situation that is out of my control, I need to ask, "Whose side am I on?" If I ground myself in the reality that I trust God, I can face circumstances that are out of my control without acting out of control. I just have to fix my mind on God. Then I can say: I'm Not a Freak-Out Woman!

 

Thoughts.....