The Bible says we are supposed to take every thought captive (see II Corinthians 10:5). Not an easy thing to do. Negative thoughts seem to always linger at the door, just waiting for a chance to slip inside. Why is that?
Worry, regret, fear–these are not pleasant things and do nothing to make the day brighter; in fact, they are harmful. So, why is it so hard to banish them?
I’ve developed a few methods to help. When a worry or a regret or a critical thought comes to call, I imagine slamming a big door on it and yelling, “No.” (You’ll notice I don’t really yell “No”; I just imagine it.) Another help is to repeat a Bible verse. Yet another is to remember something real and heartwarming about a person or an event.
My mother believed that work was a blessing. At the time, I thought it odd as work, to me, was just a chore. But now? Well, now I understand what she meant. When I am busy cleaning house or baking or painting or writing, I’ve no time for negativity. And, when I finish the chore, I have accomplished something positive. It’s a nice feeling.
Worry is like a snowball rolling downhill. The past and the future are two things I can do little to nothing about. Thinking about them just makes them seem bigger and bigger until they’ve grown out of all proportion. They cast a pall over today and that’s just wrong. So, I’ll replace those errant thoughts with positive ones. A thought to take into the New Year: For every evil under the sun, there is a remedy or there is none. If there is one, try to find it; if there is none, then never mind it.
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