Today's Unglued Blog Update
Happy New Year! CHEER to your 2013!
As usual...I'm just mainly putting what Lysa has said in her book with some (very little--actually maybe not at all today) of my own insight/thoughts.
Our mouths are filled with laughter, our tongues with songs of joy. Then it was said among the nations, "The Lord has done great things for them." ~Psalm 126:2
So, here are three questions I can use to hold my runaway thoughts, assumptions, & misperceptions in check. I would do well to ask them to myself when thoughts I assume others are thinking drag me down.
Question 1: Did someone actually say this or am I making assumptions about what they're thinking?
People aren't thinking about me nearly as much as I might think they are. And even if they really are thinking something negative about me, I can deal with it once I know the truth. When I assume something about another person's thoughts, that's unfair to the person & unnecessarily damaging to myself. Instead of staying anxious, I need to seek out truth by asking the person for clarification & asking God to help me process what I hear in the right way.
Philippians 4:6 invites me to choose prayer over worry in every situation. Instead of allowing my thoughts to overtake me, whether in assumptions or despair, I can ask God to shine His truth into our situation: Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.
Question 2: Am I actively immersing myself in truth?
The more I read God's truths & let truth fill my mind, the less time I'll spend contemplating untruths. Thinking runaway worrisome thoughts is just an invitation to anxiety. Thinking on truth wraps my mind in a peace that rises above my circumstances. I must remember what science reveals: When I feel anxious, those "negative thoughts shift my body's focus to protection & reduce your ability to process and think with wisdom or grow healthy thoughts."
If I want truth to guard my heart & mind, I have to immerse myself in truth. I do that by opening God's Word & letting God's Word open me. That's how I am made new in the attitude of my mind.
Philippians 4:7 holds a promise for me when I turn to God & allow His truth to fill me -- my heart is protected by peace: And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
Question 3: Are there situations or relationships that feed my insecurities?
Finally, if some situations or relationships feed my insecurities, maybe I need to take a break from them for a season. If a friendship is not characterized by honor, encouragement, & love, then it is not good for either of us.
Instead I need to chose to think about what God has already revealed to me as His will for a time in my life. I don't need a person's approval on my obedience. Only God's. This, per the teaching of Philippians 4:8 is where I need to park my mind: 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.
Stay tuned for the next Unglued Blog Update about quieting the inside chatter.
Our mouths are filled with laughter, our tongues with songs of joy. Then it was said among the nations, "The Lord has done great things for them." ~Psalm 126:2
Question 1: Did someone actually say this or am I making assumptions about what they're thinking?
People aren't thinking about me nearly as much as I might think they are. And even if they really are thinking something negative about me, I can deal with it once I know the truth. When I assume something about another person's thoughts, that's unfair to the person & unnecessarily damaging to myself. Instead of staying anxious, I need to seek out truth by asking the person for clarification & asking God to help me process what I hear in the right way.
Philippians 4:6 invites me to choose prayer over worry in every situation. Instead of allowing my thoughts to overtake me, whether in assumptions or despair, I can ask God to shine His truth into our situation: Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.
Question 2: Am I actively immersing myself in truth?
The more I read God's truths & let truth fill my mind, the less time I'll spend contemplating untruths. Thinking runaway worrisome thoughts is just an invitation to anxiety. Thinking on truth wraps my mind in a peace that rises above my circumstances. I must remember what science reveals: When I feel anxious, those "negative thoughts shift my body's focus to protection & reduce your ability to process and think with wisdom or grow healthy thoughts."
If I want truth to guard my heart & mind, I have to immerse myself in truth. I do that by opening God's Word & letting God's Word open me. That's how I am made new in the attitude of my mind.
Philippians 4:7 holds a promise for me when I turn to God & allow His truth to fill me -- my heart is protected by peace: And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
Question 3: Are there situations or relationships that feed my insecurities?
Finally, if some situations or relationships feed my insecurities, maybe I need to take a break from them for a season. If a friendship is not characterized by honor, encouragement, & love, then it is not good for either of us.
Instead I need to chose to think about what God has already revealed to me as His will for a time in my life. I don't need a person's approval on my obedience. Only God's. This, per the teaching of Philippians 4:8 is where I need to park my mind: 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.
Stay tuned for the next Unglued Blog Update about quieting the inside chatter.
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