It's All Good: 12 Devotions to Embrace Your NowSample

Decorate Your Mind We are taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ. II CORINTHIANS 10:5 Have you ever shopped for clothes and not bought anything at all? You set out with an ideal outfit in mind and yet as you go from store to store, you fail to find it. Rather than waste money on something you may never wear, you choose to wait and look another day. That doesn’t sound unreasonable. If you can’t find what you want to buy, don’t buy anything at all. No one forces you to buy clothes that either don’t fit or don’t flatter you. Yet when it comes to our thoughts, we aren’t always so choosy. That’s why we need to shop for our thoughts. Just as you would examine the quality of the material, try the clothes on, and observe from all angles—you should do the same with your thoughts. Your thoughts are not all your own, to start with. Many thoughts come into your mind triggered by other things. It could be a movie you watched, a conversation you had or overheard, a song you streamed—anything, really. Just because the thought is in your head, it doesn’t make it yours—nor are you required to “buy” it. Only “buy” what thoughts work best for you. Just like you wouldn’t pick up anything you saw to decorate your home, don’t grab every thought you have to decorate your mind. Some thoughts are destructive. Some are distractions. If so, let them go. The Bible describes this as “taking every thought captive.” That means you are in charge of your thoughts, not the other way around. Evaluate them against the backdrop of God’s view of you, His values in your life, and your purpose. If a thought doesn’t “fit” your authentic self, release it. Don’t judge it. Don’t dissect it. Just let it go. You wouldn’t judge an outfit you don’t want to buy. You just put it back on the rack and move on. It’s amazing how many thoughts pass through our minds at any given time. But the sheer number of them in and of themselves can become destructive. Our bodies view multitasking as a threat. When we multitask, it raises our threat-response system biologically. Allowing too many thoughts to remain in our minds, rather than weighing the value of them and letting the ones go that don’t promote our spiritual purpose, raises our threat-response system in our bodies. It secretes stress hormones within. Simplifying your thoughts simplifies your body’s reaction to the present moment. Decluttering your mind creates an emotional margin. This opens you up to greater peace, awareness, and presence right now. Jesus, I release every unflattering thought to Your purpose and will for my life. Amen.