Overcoming Intrusive ThoughtsSample

Don’t Fear Your Thoughts

If I told you to not think about a pink elephant right now, what would you do? Immediately start thinking about a pink elephant! Now, what if I told you that something bad would happen to you every time you thought about a pink elephant? A component of fear would be added to the equation and that would make not thinking about the pink elephant even harder! This is how our intrusive thoughts work. The more we try not to think of them, or the more we fear them, the more we will struggle to not think of them.

So, how do we learn to not fear our intrusive thoughts and not obsess about not thinking about them? First, we can start to see our intrusive thoughts as insignificant and meaningless. They are like a cup that can’t hold water or a piece of duct tape that is not sticky. We don’t have to obsess and ruminate about them. We don’t have to let them make us feel like bad Christians. They’re just thoughts, so when they come, let them go.

Second, instead of feeling bad about yourself, condemning yourself, or telling yourself you’re a bad person because of the intrusive thoughts, remind yourself that there’s no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus (Romans 8:1). You are a loved child of God (1 John 3:1). Your intrusive thoughts do not define you, so you can unhitch your identity from them. Your Identity is in Christ—remember that!

Third, remind yourself that you have ultimate control of your mind. You have the power to let intrusive thoughts go. You don’t have to ruminate over them. You don’t have to live in fear of them. You can notice them, see them as meaningless, and move on and think about what you want to think about. You can choose to change the channel in your mind.

Thought of the Day: When intrusive thoughts come into my mind today, I will let them go and turn my mind toward the Truth of my Identity in Christ.