Do you have thoughts which torture you with sleepless nights? Inventory them. Do you think they come from God? If God is the author of peace—it’s not likely. Maybe it’s time to re-think the thoughts you’re allowing to enter your mind.
You don’t have to allow every thought that enters your mind to stick around!
No one can force you to be tortured by thoughts that take away your peace. YOU make that choice! After you’ve been born again, you have the supernatural power of the Holy Spirit within you which enables you to have the mind of Christ. He does not have sleepless nights or days ruined by bitterness or fear. For me, the first step in learning to banish negative thoughts was the acknowledgment that I have a choice. It’s always my choice about what to put in my mind.
Our mind is priceless territory…
…and we may allow it to be occupied by either God or anything contrary to God’s peaceful presence. It’s one or the other—and when we get into a thought process that we think is a gray area—we can always ask God. He is faithful to reveal unhealthy thoughts. In fact, His Word encourages us to transform ourselves by the renewing of our mind. (Romans 12:2)
I like to call it walking the path of peace. Anytime my mind begins to go where my spirit feels God’s peace diminishing—I step back and go a different direction—one that maintains a strong sense of God’s peaceful presence. Having God’s peace doesn’t mean life is a bed of roses—sometimes, it just means God is parting the thorns. The Lord said:
“No weapon formed against you shall prosper, and every tongue which rises against you in judgment you shall condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord, and their righteousness is from Me,” says the Lord.”
Isaiah 54:17
Notice how our protection is tied to God’s righteousness? God is perfectly righteous and His presence does not dwell with sin. So naturally, when we choose thoughts which offend the nature of God, we lose our peace.
What we put in our mind will either curse us or bless us.
What we love captures our thoughts. In Proverbs 4:20-22, the plea is made to guard what we love:
“My son, give attention to my words;
Incline your ear to my sayings.
Do not let them depart from your eyes;
Keep them in the midst of your heart;
For they are life to those who find them,
And health to all their flesh.”
Proverbs 4:20-27 make mention of the body at least 11 times—eyes, feet, heart, ear, flesh, mouth, lips, and eyelids. Dedicating our ENTIRE self to seeking the wisdom and honor of God yields a healthy life. Indeed, in Romans 6:12-13 the Apostle Paul admonished us to yield all parts of our body to God. Jesus said the proof of our love for Him is in how we live in loving obedience to His Word. We must understand the healthy perspective in loving God’s wisdom instead of regarding it as a system of rules and threats. And our understanding of the wisdom of God’s ways is reflected in our passion to guard the reservoir of our mind from the pollution of evil.
God’s timeless wisdom, which He gave Israel several thousand years ago, still holds true today:
“I call heaven and earth as witnesses today against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing; therefore choose life, that both you and your descendants may live; that you may love the Lord your God, that you may obey His voice, and that you may cling to Him, for He is your life and the length of your days…”
Deuteronomy 30:19-20
When we are born again, God’s presence gives us His peace and blessings; but when we choose to allow evil thoughts to occupy the territory of our mind, we choose to separate ourselves from the sense of His presence and—we lose His peace. Any thought—that is not reflective of how Christ thinks—will rob us of peace. God’s wonderful promise is:
“You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on You, because he trusts in You.”
Isaiah 26:3
We decide who will be the gatekeeper of the precious territory of our mind. When we allow God’s Spirit and His Word to become the foundation of our thinking, then all other thoughts are measured against His wisdom and He reveals which thoughts should be allowed to inhabit our mind. He clears the confusion. He dispels the anxiety. God’s wisdom brings us perfect peace and rest.
When God’s thoughts occupy our mind, we experience His immeasurable, perfect peace.
2 Responses
This is another very good devotional, thanks Kimberly. I hope your granddaughter is coming along well from the incident in Colorado. I have sent prayers for her recovery, and also for you.
Thank you, sir! I sure do appreciate it.