journey onWord with us

You might, even for a moment, consider lying rather than admit it, but there are thoughts that flow through your mind that cause you to wonder, “How could I think such a thing?” Those kinds of thoughts (and we all have them) cause us to question our self, the depth of our spirituality, and sometimes even our sanity. We have all been there, and the purpose of this post is not to examine why, but rather to give encouragement in the battle for your mind. Each of us have some personal struggles that are contained within our minds, that if not controlled, will burden our souls. Can you accept that God knows all about your mind games, and is very willing to help?

Considering this battle we all face reminds me of the “prince of preachers,” Charles Spurgeon. He could be considered an earlier version of Billy Graham (or maybe vice versa), yet he battled long-term struggles with depression.  I will never forget one of the ways that he fought in his very real and personal battle. The story goes that he would write Scripture verses on the ceiling of his bedroom, and use them to overcome his melancholy. Your personal mental assault may not be depression, but it could be anger, guilt, insecurity, an addiction, etc…  For some, the assault may be fleeting and for others deep-seeded. I am here to say “take heart!”  God knows, He cares and He wants us to cast our cares on Him.

It is hard to fight an enemy who has outposts in your head.   — Sally Kempton

I don’t know anything about Sally Kempton, but her statement intrigues me. We can all relate to a particular enemy that wants to set up control in our minds. It’s easy to let all that surrounds us invade our mind, and we also know that all that our mind ponders affects us … both the good, and the bad! In all of our lives we will face battles from the outside (circumstances and people), and the inside (our thoughts). God gives counsel that all believers should grab hold of and never let go. II Corinthians 10:5(b) says, “and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ”. Take heart! We can turn any thought toward the will of the Father.

Let every thought that frustrates you become like the robot’s words from an old TV show – Warning! Danger Ahead. Use that warning to immediately make those thoughts obedient to Christ. Don’t try it once and quit. With every errant thought, “take it captive,” and go to our Lord.

My heart tells me that you (like me) probably battle with unwanted guests that penetrate your mind. My logic tells me that most people just let the errant thoughts run rampant. My emotions tell me that not taking thoughts captive is incredibly harmful. What about your thoughts?