The Danger of It and What to Do Instead
For a long time I struggled with my thoughts. Actually to be honest I still do. It seems that my mind is a constant battle ground of trying to control what I think about. Thoughts of gossip or bitterness, thoughts of fantasy or things that aren’t true, thoughts of worry or fear… The list goes on.
One of my friends talked many times to me about the importance of guarding our thoughts. I began to wonder if I would always struggle with what seemed to toss around in my head day after day. But during this time I also realized that my attitude changed depending on what I thought about. If I was praying, thinking on scripture, or just spending time with God, my attitude reflected joy, peace, love, and contentment. But if I dwelled on anything else, even if the thoughts were not bad, but not necessarily true, my attitude reflected discontentment, frustration, lack of love, and hopelessness. It was through these attitudes that the enemy realized the opportunity to attack.
He will say anything from, “You’re not good enough,” “Other people are better than you,” to “Why are you on this earth? You have no purpose.” The sad thing is that I then give into these thoughts and start dwelling on them myself, which then builds on my negative attitude.
For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he… Prov 23:7
I don’t know if this has anything to do with my pace as a runner or not. I started telling others and myself that I am a slow runner, which is true. Is it a coincidence that the more I said this, the slower I seemed to get? I think not. The more I thought on the fact that I was a slow runner, the more I allowed myself to go slower and the less I tried on speed runs, because after all, I had labled myself a “Slow Runner” so why lose the title?
The best way to end our day is to ask ourselves, “What labels have I given myself?”
The easiest way to figure this out is to list the thoughts we remember thinking throughout the day and then circling the ones that we have repeated multiple times for several days. Most likely these are the titles you have given yourself, thus it’s most likely what your heart believes and then also who you are and how you act.
We need to take these beliefs to God and ask Him what truths the Bible has to say to counteract them.
Our goal should be to find the labels that God has given us in Christ. If you are a true born again believer, God has washed you from your past and you are now defined by new titles through His Son.
Check out the post, Who Am I? that I did back in January of 2020, where I learned the truth of who I am in Christ. Since that time God has set me on a new path of freedom and reconciliation that I am continually grateful for. It has allowed me to seek a life that is worth living and a relationship with Christ that fills my heart with purpose and fulfillment.
Just remember: Your thoughts determine your heart. Your heart determines your life. Thus what you label yourself as, is who you will become.
Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.
Proverbs 4:25
I’m going to be taking a short brake from creating content, but in the mean time…
May God bless you richly, Happy Running!
Be Still and Run 