Our imaginations are powerful. I am constantly thinking. I am a deep thinker and process internally, as well as verbally. This is a strength. When I speak, the messages I deliver come out of my processing. The words I write and publish in my blog come from my deep thinking sessions. However, this is also a weakness for me. As someone who struggles with anxiety and overthinking, I can allow my thoughts to take me down a black hole if I’m not careful.
Whether for good or for bad, it all comes down to what I choose to imagine.
Lately, I have been listening to a podcast called Cleaning Up the Mental Mess by Dr. Caroline Leaf. In her work, she narrows in on rewiring the brain and rethinking what we are thinking about. In one particular episode, she talks about having an expectancy mindset. She mentions that instead of always imagining the worst case scenarios and everything that could go wrong, we need to balance that by thinking about everything that could go right. Even when our worst case scenarios play out, she encourages her subscribers to expect to learn from it and expect to grow from it. All of a sudden what started out as the worst thing ever is re-framed and re-conceptualized as an incredible learning opportunity.
The expectancy mindset echoes the principle of Philippians 4:8:
So keep your thoughts continually fixed on all that is authentic and real, honorable and admirable, beautiful and respectful, pure and holy, merciful and kind. And fasten your thoughts on every glorious work of God, praising Him always. (TPT)
Dr. Leaf talks about how negative expectations create negative realities and how allowing ourselves to constantly think on negative scenarios actually builds a structure in our brains. This is the scientific terminology for what most Christians would coin as a stronghold. Conversely, we can create positive realities by having positive expectations. We are in control of how we think and what we feel. Why not choose to use our imaginations to dream up something wonderful?
In an article entitled “Your Source of Power,” Wendy Backlund writes, “Begin to meditate on past victories. It will give you strength for future victories. Begin to rehearse the promises of God and it will energize you emotionally.” It’s time that we begin to take charge of our minds and pursue positive God-centered thinking intentionally.
So what are you rehearsing? Choose to rehearse your victories. Choose to rehearse your experiences of His goodness. Choose to rehearse your hopes and your dreams. Build your imagination on the promises of God.
