Don’t Believe Everything You Think
@bethvogt
I mulled over this blog post for quite a while. Started one topic. Erased it. I wanted to think of something funny. Something light. Put a spin on things so my words were encouraging from the get-go.
But it was a bit of a fractured start to the week, one where I fought to find a good rhythm to my days. My thoughts bobbed up and down between hope and doubt as I clung to the life preserver of my faith.
Some days are like that, right?
I let discouragement dunk me one too many times until I sent up a “prayer flare,” as I like to call it, and texted a close friend, admitting how my negative thoughts were pulling me under.
She was struggling too. Her response to my text: I’m calling you.
It wasn’t so much about “misery loving company” as it was two friends being honest with each other and then dragging each other back to solid ground, inch by inch.
She spoke truth. I spoke truth. And the Truth pushed away the lies that were swamping us. We leaned into our faith and focused on scriptures like:
Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. (Philippians 4:6-7 NIV)… the joy of the LORD is your strength. (Nehemiah 8:10 NIV)Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds … (James 1:2 NIV)Do not despise these small beginnings, for the LORD rejoices to see the work begin … (Zechariah 4:10 NLT)
Here’s what I’m learning once again: so much of how we feel is determined by our thoughts. But all too often we don’t monitor our thoughts closely enough. Instead, we just push auto-play on what we’re thinking. I need to post the quote, “Don’t believe everything you think!” in every room in my house. What about you?
The truth I remembered after talking with my friend? God does not speak discouragement over us.
The repeated thought of, “You should just quit” that got a stranglehold on me at the beginning of the week? It wasn’t God-given. God is a God of encouragement. Of hope. He doesn’t beat us down.
We all have tough days. The important thing to know is who we can shoot a prayer flare to when the day becomes too hard.
Who will speak Truth to you so you can hear it over the lies that drag you into deep waters? Who do you speak Truth to when you see their flare go up?
Don’t Believe Everything You Think
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