In order to find peace, we have to replace our fears, anxieties, defense mechanisms, and controlling behaviors with prayer, Scripture meditation, and thanksgiving. Our brains will not stop thinking about something just because we tell it to. Our minds are like computers, and they process what is downloaded into them.
If we don’t replace our negative thinking and behaviors with something else, those anxious thoughts will just continue to play in our minds. Replacing your negative thoughts with God’s Word may feel awkward at first, but don’t let that stop you. If you want to be free of worry, you can’t follow your feelings. Your feelings have a mind of their own because they get their cues from your flesh, which is guided by your five senses. You must let the truth override your feelings.
How do you start replacing your worries with the Word?
Find verses in the Bible that address worry, anxiety, renewing your mind, casting your cares on Christ, and so on. Write those verses down in a journal and begin to memorize them. When an anxious thought comes to mind, cast it down to the foot of the cross (you may even want to visualize yourself putting the thought at Jesus’s feet). Then remind yourself of what God’s Word says about whatever issue you’re facing. Soon you will find yourself experiencing peace for no apparent reason. That’s the peace of God that passes all understanding. Prayer focus: Spend time with God in prayer. Ask Him to give you an insatiable desire to read and study the Word of God.
What hurts worst?
Pushing through the pain and doing the inner work to get to your peace, happiness and wholeness or staying with the pain and feeling defeated ? I wasted so much time with the latter. For every painful experience in my life that l had to face courageously and purposed to conquer, I had to ask myself this question. It’s difficult forgetting about the past, the failures and setbacks especially if you cannot see anything different in the present nor in your foreseeable future. Perhaps your pain was caused by someone and that person is now deceased, or they moved away or they are just incapable of expressing sincere remorse and taking ownership for their behavior. Maybe you made a poor choice in a relationship or a bad financial decision, what do you do? For years l carried the pain, hurt and anger of being molested by family members. I didn’t realize how it was negatively affecting every area of my life. I couldn’t manage money, nor did l want to manage it because l used it to bandage my hurt feelings to cover my broken places with creature comforts. I didn’t know how to connect to healthy relationships. It seemed that the only place l manifested any stability was in was my career.
That’s when the what if’s kick in. What if l don’t make it, what if l get hurt again, what if l fail?
Here’s the thing, what if you do make it, what if you experience unparalleled joy, something you never anticipated, what if you actually WIN? The truth is you’ll never know if you don’t let go. So what do say? Here’s my hand, join me in this free webinar and let’s let go together. |
AuthorMinister, Author and Spiritual Coach. ArchivesCategories |