Thinking causes me more trouble than anything else.
I can be fine, and then I’ll start thinking about some horrible possibility – what if we got in a car crash? what if our house burned down? what if everybody hated me for no reason? – and I’m suddenly the opposite of fine.
And let’s not even get started on thoughts related to people who have hurt me or someone I love. I can fantasize about their destruction, their undoing, their humiliation…
NONE of these thoughts are beneficial. They are paranoid at best and sinful at worst. And they all keep me from directing my mind to where it should be.
I was convicted of this last week when I read a post by a woman who was obviously very scared. I was annoyed at the post, then started picking apart the arguments in it, the irrationalities, the exaggeration, the fear-mongering. Then I felt the Holy Spirit stop me in my tracks. “This woman,” He reminded me, “has experienced deep loss, Krista. She is afraid because she doesn’t want to lose anyone or anything else. Stop judging her and start praying for her.”
So I did. And it was amazing! Where there had been that feeling in my gut — you know the one that comes to life when you’re having imaginary arguments? — I had peace and compassion. I wasn’t fighting with an imaginary person, I was interceding for a real person, a friend, a beloved child of God.
That prayer led to more – I know lots of people who are scared right now. I don’t need to know the root of the fear. All I need to know is the solution. And their solution is the same as mine – a focus on what’s true, on Who is true.
We are told to have the mind of Christ. That’s a tall order. But He gives us his Holy Spirit to help us with that. We just need to listen, to quiet the noise that our own minds make so we can listen to that still, small voice and obey.
