How I Get Rid of My Bad Thoughts
Have you ever dealt with negative thoughts or temptations that seem to attack you? Maybe even consume you? Perhaps you're dealing with bad thoughts trying to take you down right this very second?
I know I have and still do sometimes, especially when I'm traveling with my tour mates on the road. I find that I get some pretty frustrated-nasty-rude-mean-unkind thoughts when I am the most tired... add some shows in the Desert sun to the mix and I desperately need Jesus to rescue my mind.
Image credit goes to Joshua Harman of Mission 1020
No matter how consumed you may feel or have felt, I've been there. I've been talking to people and had ugly thoughts pop into my mind, making me want to go run and hide under a rock. I have had thoughts tell me I'm not good enough, I'm disgusting, I will never get better, my mistakes are too big, that my mind is too perverted.. blah, blah, blah... and the list goes on and can be tremendously lengthy, not to mention painful.
I remember when my thought-life seemed at its worst. I asked -- "Will these horrible thoughts ever stop controlling my life?"
God's answer = "Yes"
The thoughts will go, but it won't be easy and we'll have to put up our best fight. It is possible to live a positive, God-filled life where we always beat the thoughts and temptations that come against us. Will the thoughts ever stop? Maybe, maybe not. The question that is more important is: will we be able to overcome them and not act upon them? To that the answer is a big, fat "YES!"
Overcoming our ugly thoughts does not mean we won't get them, it just means that you won't be moved by them. Want to figure out how to overcome your thoughts? Below I am going to give you my 2-step process that helped me overcome my ugliest thoughts and temptations. In fact, I still use it today when I am faced with new or recurring bad thoughts... especially when I'm sweating on stage in the hot, Desert sun. I pray that it helps you get free from being ruled by those nasty thoughts you've been a victim to.
1.) Acknowledge the bad thought
Don't let that thought keep popping up in your mind and persuading you to do things, as well as think things, that are not true. Make sure you point out thoughts that are not of God or His truth. It's important to do this because the bible says -- "For as a man thinks in his heart, so is he...” (Proverbs 23:7). Please understand that your thoughts guide your life and what you think will certainly become what, as well as who, you are. Therefore, acknowledge bad thoughts as soon as possible.
2.) Replace the bad with the Truth
Simply acknowledging your bad thoughts will not help you overcome your bad thinking. You have to replace that negative thought(s) you think with a piece of truth from God's word. Every time you think a thought that is not aligned with the word, SPEAK (out loud... move those lips. Speaking is proven to interrupt are thought patterns. It's impossible to talk about one thing and think another) a piece of God's word that shed's truth on that lie. God's word is always true, right, and able to shed light on wrong... especially our wrong thoughts. Speaking it every time a bad thought comes against you will begin to realign your mind with the truth and set you free from bad, consuming thoughts.
Warning: This is not an overnight process. Sometimes thoughts have been so ingrained in me (or the devil has attacked me with bad thoughts so aggressively) that I'd end up declaring a scripture over myself about 40 times a day off and on for 2 years straight! Yes, seems crazy and as if it's a long process, but it is worth it and in order to get free you're going to have to fight the fight!
Don't waste any more time! Let's be victorious and change the world by starting with us first!
Lots of love and you are meant to be free!
Martay