A Letter in LockdownSample

THINK AGAIN If someone took you out for lunch, sat you down, and told you nine positive things about who you are and one negative thing about who you are, which would you remember? I’d be impressed if you said the positives, and I’d certainly hope so. But sometimes we think negative thoughts about ourselves, our friends, family and occasionally even school teachers. What you give your attention to grows. If you give attention to a plant, feeding it water, fertilizer, and sunshine, it will grow and flourish. In the same way, if you give attention to negative, anxious, and depressive thoughts, they too will grow and flourish in you. Paul encourages us to set our minds on whatever is noble, pure, true, right, lovely, praiseworthy, admirable, and excellent. You might think, “easy for you to write that, Paul, but that’s hard to do.” Just remember that Paul was in gaol for the third time when he wrote this. In another letter, Paul once wrote, “We take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.” Because of Jesus, we can, in His authority, capture any negative and unwelcome thought and interrogate it! Sit that thought down on a chair, hold up a blinding light and intimidate that thought. Ask it where it came from? Ask it what its goal is? Remind it that it has no place in your mind and let go of it into Jesus’ hands. Choose to set your mind on Godly things, read God’s word, and allow Him to fill your mind with joy and peace. Challenge: Hold your anxious, negative, and depressive thoughts in your hands. Pray in Jesus' name and release them to him as you open your hands. Ask God to give you the mind of Christ. Prayer: Today Jesus, I release to you these negative thoughts. I thank you that you’ve given me the power to choose what I allow my mind to dwell on. So today, I set my mind on things that are good, excellent, and praiseworthy. Please help me, Jesus, to choose the right thoughts. I need you in this area.