The Mind: The Battle Ground State
I was in a funk, didn’t start that way, but the closer Monday came, the more anxious thoughts and upset I became.
Another weekend passed by, with the highlight of my week and weekend consisting of doing dishes, cooking, laundry, a little photography and more hours of TV watching than I cared to for.
I had one more free day to get in the expected excitement I was looking or longing for, only to have a repeat of the previous day, this time sprinkled with online church, and organizing the basement.
Loneliness, boredom, monotony, not having enough money…all the things started to race in.
I could feel the mood change/shift coming over me….and I didn’t want it to happen, but it was like I couldn’t control it- and boom!
Before you know it, I was in the sunken place. Making sure not to lash out (because Jesus said be angry but don’t sin right?)….but my mood was far from delightful, enthusiastic or pleasant. It became reclusive and short. And this mood lasted through my dreadful Monday.
I called out to the Lord multiple times and felt like there was no relief or help in sight- or was it?
Because my mind was bogged down with so many negative thoughts and feelings, the truth was having a hard time fighting through the negativity.
But did I take a moment to realize that? ? No. Although the feelings and circumstances may have been real at the time, they were distorted…and cracked to door to schemes to be used by the Enemy. 1Peter 5:8 tells us “Be sober minded, be alert, your adversary the devil is prowling around like a roaring lion, looking for anyone he can devour” (CSB).
In hindsight, my thoughts should’ve been reframed to something considered as acceptable and pleasing to the Lord as soon as I realized what was happening.
Psalms 19:14 asks for “..the words of my mouth and meditation of my heart to be acceptable to you, Lord, my rock and my Redeemer”. The Psalmist knew that things we say and think are not always pleasing to the Lord and this includes when we start to have a negative or hopeless outlook on our current circumstances or situations.
Colossians 3:23 says “Whatever you do, do it from the heart, as something done for the Lord and not for people” (CSB), because I believe he knows that as soon as we start to do it because we are trying to win the approval of others or boost ourselves, overtime, we will become weak, weary and resentful, and that WILL affect our thoughts, attitudes and actions. Not to mention that it sometimes leads to feelings of anxiety or sadness… or emptiness…or even loneliness.
This is why words and thoughts matter. We must continually remind our selves to have words and mediations of the heart that are pleasing to the Lord so that we don’t spiral and end up somewhere he never intended for us to be in the first place.
Going forward, let’s commit to being women that choose to identify the thoughts we entertain. Are we going to choose thoughts that tend to make us “spiral” or thoughts that are acceptable to God. Which will you choose?
Application: The battle of thoughts: Because the mind is a place where spiritual warfare takes place, one way to apply the Scriptures is to put scripture to thoughts.
Identify the thought or word that consumes your mind or emotions.
Use a study bible or concordance or online resource and read it and any related verses.
Give the thought to God by communicating with him through prayer.
Make the decision to exercise faith. Believe that God cares about this area of your life and will see you in and/ or through it.
