Wednesday, November 11, 2009

DAY 3 Wrong Thinking

Romans 12

1I APPEAL to you therefore, brethren, and beg of you in view of [all] the mercies of God, to make a decisive dedication of your bodies [presenting all your members and faculties] as a living sacrifice, holy (devoted, consecrated) and well pleasing to God, which is your reasonable (rational, intelligent) service and spiritual worship.

2Do not be conformed to this world (this age), [fashioned after and adapted to its external, superficial customs], but be transformed (changed) by the [entire] renewal of your mind [by its new ideals and its new attitude], so that you may prove [for yourselves] what is the good and acceptable and perfect will of God, even the thing which is good and acceptable and perfect [in His sight for you

What's on your mind? What kind of thoughts fly around that cause you to feel rejected, scared or unliked? Do you often think people are talking about you? Do you imagine conversations in your head? Do you thoughts keep you up at night? What's inside your mind?

Let's expose it! Let's see if you can relate to any of the scenarios below. This is a tough one friends but this has to be exposed so the lies can be exposed which leads to the enemy being exposed and YOU have victory over your thought life.

*Some people like to update their facebook status with messages regarding how they are upset with someone. They may never mention a name but they use it to send a message. Instantly you believe they are talking about you. Been there ladies? I have! OUCH! Or you see friends posting things on one anothers facebook walls and you feel left out. You begin to believe that maybe they are even talking about you behind your back. It may seem silly to some of you to use Facebook as an example but I believe it's a HUGE tool the enemy uses to throw lots of women off track.

*You see someone at church, work, maybe a baby shower or some other social gathering and this person doesn't say hi. Instead of taking into account that they could be having a bad day, you instantly believe they are mad at you. You go home and tell your husband or your best friend how you don't understand why they don't like you, etc. Just typing this out makes it seem really silly but WE DO THAT! WOMEN DO THIS!

*Meetings are happening at work that you were not invited to and you begin to think that you may be getting fired. Then you go home and worry about it and begin to connect all the negative thoughts together and by Friday morning you are convinced you are getting fired.

*A friend doesn't return a phone call, a text or an email and your mind begins to bombard you with feelings of not being "liked". You may think you annoy them or they don't really want to be your friend. Maybe someone told them something bad about you and they no longer like you.

*You see two women walking together to their cars in the church parking lot and you think they are talking about you. Or what about the people at work in the break room whispering or talking quiet. You instantly think they are talking about you!

*Your husband comes home late from work and you begin to wonder if he was really working or not. Maybe you think he's cheating on you but don't have any real proof, just thoughts!

*I must be feeling tired because something is wrong with me. Oh no! What if I have cancer? Maybe you google symptoms and begin to diagnose yourself with something horrible. Those thoughts consume you!

*You hear of a child with cancer and you begin to think that maybe God allowed you to hear about this child because YOUR child is next.

*Why can't I get pregnant? What did I do wrong? Is God trying to punish me?

The list goes on and on and on and on!

Can you own any of these? Maybe you have other thoughts that haunt you. Be brave! Expose those thoughts in the comment section! When we expose them, you will be surprised how many other women deal with the exact same thoughts.

The "HATER" is relentless. He HATES you! He will do everything possible to inject these types of thoughts into your mind. Why let him? I've heard it said many times "Where the mind goes, the man follows!". Women not only follow it but we usually carry it out. If we think people don't like us, we begin to act like they don't like us and when we act like they don't like us, they WON'T like us. It's a self fulfilled prophecy!

So how do we fight this battle of the mind? How do we destroy those thoughts?

6 comments:

Stacey said...

I relate to and can own SO many of those examples. Sad but true. My mind is a battlefield!

Wendy said...

I can relate to far too many of these. A recent example - There is a lady at church that never seems very friendly toward me, yet is very sweet to everyone else. I'm always wondering what I could have done to her, etc. That's just one thing that came to mind when I read this. I know I am probably thinking too much of it, and it has been something I've been trying to work on and have right thinking in.

Elizabeth O'Neal said...

I can relate to the last 3 more than any. The husband one sometimes. But the last 2 about something being wrong with me or my children are a daily constant anxiety for me. I have googled more things then I care to admit to and it never turns out well! Usually results in my having a full blown panic attack at the computer. This study is going to be SO good for me. Thank you again Amanda SO much.

Anonymous said...

Sadly I can say I have done many of the examples - as I get older I tend not to as much......but nevertheless I am still a woman and I still have some of those tapes play in my head.....
Nancy

Jules said...

Yep, on so many of these! Especially the one where I think other women don't like me. I struggle with this SO much because I had such a difficult time in school and I grew up with very strict parents. I was never allowed to do anything that other girls did and we were poor so name brand clothes were not an option. I went through a lot of just wanting to belong somewhere. So, that pain still resurfaces so many times. Anyway, I definitely still need prayer in this area!

Again, thanks SO much for doing this! I already feel God working in me!!!!!

Deborah said...

Good heavens where does a girl start? Of course I feel judged and allow myself to get carried away with worry. Most of the time when I run it is a peaceful/prayerful time; however, lately I have caught my mind wandering to very dark places like, "what if I was shot" or "what if I were to be hit by a car" or "what if someone jumped out of the bushes and attacked me". My biggest one lately though is allowing myself to think hurtful, negative things about people whom I feel judged by. Then I beat myself up for thinking those things because I know that it is coming from an insecure place of jealousy, resentment and fear. YES, YES, YES...this is wrong thinking indeed!