10 Truths for the Battle of the Mind

I set out to write down these things for myself. But then I realized that you're all in the battlefield with me, waring with thoughts and feelings of sorts. Life is a series of potholes and hills, making it crucial that we learn to walk on all types of terrain. The consequences for taking this lightly are at least pain and misery. These are things that address my most common struggles, and I bet some of yours as well.

1. You are loved by God no matter what. He has already proven this on the cross as well as all of the other unmerited favor He has shown in your life. Proverbs 8:17

2. You have never really been alone. When in doubt, look back at the times when you either survived something hard or were blessed abundantly. Nothing is by accident. If you will trust Him, you'll see that He takes even the bad and makes it work to your advantage through growth in character among other things. Isaiah 41:10

3. Your security can stand firm only in Him, not in people or things. Believers send a message about their faith when we base our worth on anything other than Jesus Christ. There is a commandment that addresses this -- it's idolatry. What we really believe comes out in what we consistently think. I not only say it, but I examine my own faith this way as well. He has to be the One we love most, thus putting His love for us above what others think. People change, feelings change, but God never does. Psalm 18:2

4. You cannot change others and it's not your job. Odds are, you didn't even create their issue. We all have some mess inside that needs Jesus' touch. Pray for them and remember that you commit some of the very sins as them.  This will help you to show them the grace you would want when you don't feel like it. Ezekiel 36:26-27

5. Guard your thoughts and heart from negative emotions in order to stay under the wings of God's mercy. Otherwise, you put yourself under the law of judgment because you can't ask for mercy you won't give. Let go of bitterness, jealousy, envy, strife, gossip and petty nitpicking. We are all broken, whether we see it or not, and can find things wrong with one another if we aren't practicing grace. Nitpicking puts the nitpicker under the microscope to those he nitpicks. Proverbs 4:23

6. Some things do not require a response, but even then you have to guard our tongue in every circumstance. Responding when it's not necessary is like pulling a scab off a big, ugly sore. Remember that there is a time to stand up and say your peace, but wisdom takes application. Your feedback is not always welcome or wise. Sometimes things will get better faster if you don't say a word. How often does your tongue cause damage, leaving you the bad guy and the point you were trying to make mere moot? I am struck by how often we do the things to others that have hurt us most. Proverbs 15:1, Proverbs 17:28

7. God will fight for you.  The more worked up you get, the more likely it is that you just need to let go of it and give it to God. He can bear it. He knows what's best and can fix anything. We just aren't meant to carry all this stuff. Learning to apply this produces greater faith because it puts your trust in God to work. Exodus 14:14

8. Focus on the Lord instead of others, yourself or the hurts you have been dealt. In order to be most effective for the kingdom, you must discipline your mind! I once read this statement: You must choose your thoughts like you choose your clothes. Focusing on God and His words produces healing. Focusing too much on people or our problems produces disappointment and even sickness. God has plenty of wonderful and mysterious attributes to keep you uplifted for eternity. Psalm 25:15

9. Feelings rarely ever provide an accurate assessment of reality. But if you pay close attention, you will find that they expose faulty thought patterns and even strongholds that need to be dealt with. Don't let them boss you around. Disciplining your mind will help to deal with bossy emotions. I am learning that so much of a believer's walk requires mental discipline as a prerequisite. Jeremiah 17:9, I John 3:20

10. You are gifted for a certain mission in the kingdom. But you must listen to the Holy Spirit to know what that is. It may take years to unfold as God prepares you for it. Stay tuned to to Him to find out more. Never think you are expected or able to do it alone. I Peter 4:10, I Timothy 4:14