We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ. (2 Cor. 10:5)
I spend a lot of time thinking about thoughts. That may sound a little funny, but a long journey with anxiety has taught me that paying attention to my thinking is crucial. Prior to that, anxiety was often a debilitating force, wreaking havoc in the background of my mind. Although from the outside I appeared to be doing well, inside I lacked peace. Anxiety ate away at my joy and even my sense of confidence in myself. It bled into my relationships. It impacted everything. In order to begin to gain victory over anxiety in my life, I had to get comfortable going to battle in the place where anxiety had set up its headquarters…my mind.
Being able to identify, anxiety, namely, fear, in my life, was half the battle. I had a label for that gnawing sense of uneasiness that lingered in my mind and my gut. Through a variety of helpful resources, including mental health books & podcasts, therapy, positive community, the support of those closest to me, and ultimately, relying on God’s strength and guidance, I discovered that the breeding ground for the anxiety I was feeling was my thought life. I discovered that in order to get control over anxiety, I needed to take back control over my mind and my thoughts.
Several years down the road of my own healing journey, I am in the beginning stages of my career as a therapist. This idea of the power behind our thoughts is an area that I dive deeply into with all of my clients. I have come to realize personally and clinically that in order to achieve healing and growth in our lives, we must first identify the thoughts that are holding us back, the ones that limit us and try to tell us we are something other than who we truly are. Next, we have to get good at replacing those thoughts with ones that encourage and uplift us, motivating us and propelling us forward. Lastly, we have to be determined to rehearse these life-giving thoughts relentlessly. We must challenge every thought that limits us or pulls us down with a thought that’s grounded in love, truth, and hope. We must do this no matter how long it takes, until it sinks deep down to our bones that these things are true and everything else is a lie. It’s with a change of mind that comes a change of heart and a change of life! It’s within the process of swapping out familiar self-sabotaging thought patterns for healthy, inspiring, and life-producing patterns of thought that freedom from anxiety (and all other hosts of mental dysfunction is birthed).
This principle, although a hallmark of therapy, is also a scriptural one. God’s word speaks about the importance of taking our thoughts captive and making them obedient to Christ (2 Cor. 10:5). We make our thoughts obedient and in alignment with His truth, His promises, and what He says about us and our circumstances. Romans 12:2 tells us to be transformed by the renewal of our mind, which for the Christian, can look a lot like the thought replacement techniques taught in standard Cognitive Behavioral Therapy or CBT. In Philippians 4:8, we are told to think on things that are just, pure, lovely, and worthy of praise. God’s word has tons to say about how we can experience peace by centering our thoughts on Him (Isaiah 26:3).
Are you lacking peace in your life? Have fear or worry been eating away at your joy? What about anger or hopelessness? It may be time to start thinking about what you are thinking about. What kinds of things are your thoughts telling you about yourself and your circumstances? Is it time for a change of mind? Here are some thoughts from my own journal that have helped me to challenge familiar self-defeating scripts. Perhaps they can help you too.
I am beautifully human. (2 Cor. 12:9)
I am in process. (Phil. 1:6)
I silence false narratives and storylines. (2 Cor. 10:5)
I silence the voice of comparison. (Gal. 1:10)
I recognize and reject lies. (John 8:44)
Shame simply has no place in my future. (Isaiah 61:7)
I stand tall in my God given identity & embody who I truly am. (2 Cor. 5:17)
I am loved as I am, for who I am. (Romans 5:8)
I love myself and choose to be a friend, to me! (Mark 12:31)
I live in the reality that I am fully known and loved. (1 John 4:19)
As such, I live from a place of love and approval, and not for other’s love and approval. (Eph. 2:8-9)
I do not allow self-doubt and fear to tell my story or determine my future. (Phil. 4:6-7)
God can, will, and does use me right where I am at in my journey. (2 Cor. 2:9)
God uses me to help others in their process of healing and growth, even as he helps me in my own
process of healing and growth. (2 Cor. 12:10
God use my imperfections and weaknesses for His glory. (2 Cor. 12:9)
I let go and surrender to God’s control. (Ps. 46:10)
I am rooted in freedom, victory, healing, and most importantly love. (2 Cor. 3:17)
I will not return to my former bondage. (Isa. 61:1)
I forget what is behind to embrace the future God has for me. (Phil. 3:13-14)
