“Mind at War”
It had been a challenging month in our home. Life was not handing us lemons; it was passing out prickly pears that looked like mini cactuses. I was facing difficult decisions that required uncertain steps forward and I hated it. My thoughts would race as I wondered what the future held, my wheels would turn as I dissected scenarios, and my doubts were picked right back up after I released them in prayer. The enemy had made his way into my mind and was feeding me manure for breakfast. I became convinced my prayers were pointless, repetitive, and unheard. My biggest motto in life, “purpose in everything,” felt unrelatable and my joy was fading. Where was my perspective? Where was my cultivated belief in who my God was? It was buried, buried deep beneath the enemy’s lies.
I had taken my focus off God and shifted it towards my problem. It felt bigger than me. It felt like the Red Sea was in front of me and an army was closing in behind me.
Can you relate to this scenario? Maybe you are facing trials that feel impossible or perhaps, your mind is drowning in doubt and despair. Whatever the case, step back and shift your focus a bit with me.
As I drove home from work, exhausted from fighting my mental battle, I slowly began to shift my thoughts back to the blessings in life. The tune, “count your blessings, name them one by one,” unraveled in my head as I began to push the enemy out. I made a choice and an effort to recall what God had and was doing in my life. God’s message of encouragement and trust began to drown out the doubt. God then filled my mind with words such as joy, strength, way maker, provider, purpose, growth, wisdom, guidance, and truth. These beautiful words filled my mind and lifted the weight from my shoulders.
This is the God we serve-one that fights for us, pursues us, loves us and speaks truth to us. Yet, so often we forget and are lead away by the enemy’s schemes.
If your mind is filled with lies and uncertainty of the outcome of your circumstance, shift your eyes back to God. He is bigger than that problem. He is stronger than your fear. Our joy and strength to face trials are rooted in His purpose and plan.
The mind is a powerful tool. Allow it to manifest doubt, fear and uncertainty, and it will reap anxiety, stress and unnecessary burdens. But, incline your ear to God’s message and truth will be heard.
Consider meditating on these verses when the enemy comes knocking…. “Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you,” James 1: 2-5.
