Shove them away
What should we do with wayward thoughts? We all have them. Sometimes they take root in our minds and develop into negative thought patterns that can be hard to break. Paul had a lot to say about our minds and the thoughts we allow into them: ‘Be transformed by the renewing of the mind’ (Romans 12:2 NIV); ‘We have the mind of Christ and take every thought captive to the obedience of Christ’ (1 Corinthians 2:16, 2 Corinthians 10:5 NIV); ‘Set your minds on things above, where Christ is’ (Colossians. 3:1, NIV); ‘For God has not given us the spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind’ (2 Timothy 1:7, NKJV); ‘Make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in Spirit and of one mind’ (Philippians 2:2, NIV); and ‘Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus’ (Philippians 2:5, KJV).
C.S. Lewis also had something to say about what to do with negative thoughts, especially when we spend too much time thinking about the faults and shortcomings of others. In the chapter The Trouble with “X” in God in the Dock, he says, ‘Abstain from thinking about other people’s faults, unless your duties as a teacher or parent make it necessary to think about them. Whenever the thoughts come unnecessarily into one’s mind, why not simply shove them away? And think about one’s own faults instead?’ He goes on to point out our own faults are the only ones we can change.
Why not just simply shove them away? Why ruminate on them, letting them fester into an infection that’s almost impossible to cure? Why let them turn into bitterness and rancour, eventually spilling out into bad behaviour? It might seem too simple and at the same time too hard to do this, but with the mind of Christ and his power, love, and sound mind, we can do it. No matter what kinds of negative thoughts come into our minds, we can shove them away and focus on Jesus and whatever is true, noble, right, pure, lovely or admirable, excellent or praiseworthy (Philippians 4:8, NIV).
Study by Tammy Tkach
First published on 24 October 2023, at www.gemsofgodsgrace.wordpress.com
Tammy Tkach is the Assistant Pastor of the Eugene, Oregon, USA, Grace Communion International congregation. She is a speaker and writer, and publishes a blog at www.gemsofgodsgrace.wordpress.com
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