The mind is undoubtedly an amazing thing. It’s extremely complex. Often disobedient, all over the place, and feels uncontrollable at times. I recently saw a meme that said – My mind is like an internet browser. 17 tabs are open. 4 of them are frozen and I don’t know where the music is coming from. I feel like that frequently describes my mind. And believe it or not, it has improved since I have learned that there are things that I can do to better control it.
I believe that most, if not all, of our mess originates in our minds and results in strongholds (negative mindsets) that hold us back in our lives such as shame, pride, materialism, people-pleasing and more. Our earthly disappointments and experiences impact who we become. We try to protect ourselves out of fear and shame and this limits our potential. We try to avoid rejection. We try to find our worth by pleasing others. We try to achieve success according to the world’s standards. To make matters worse, our minds are the first thing Satan goes after. He will capitalize on any opportunity to mess us up!
So, how can we overcome these strongholds and move towards God’s best for our lives? Consider the following tips:
- Foster awareness and take action against your strongholds
As with any issue we may face, the first step to recovery is awareness and acknowledgment of the problem, and a desire to truly change. Ask God to show you your strongholds and the resulting negative thought patterns that exist in your life. Once you are conscious of these negative mindsets, you can begin to take action to overcome them. For example, if fear is a stronghold for you. When you notice fear impacting your life, fight back by having Scripture handy to counteract your fear.
- Fill your mind with good stuff and take out the bad stuff
The Apostle Paul challenges us to “not conform to the pattern of this world but be transformed by the renewing of our minds” (Romans 12:1-2). We can do that through a steady intake of God’s Word. Think about the things that you are filling your mind with – television, social media, the news, books, etc. Have you ever heard the term garbage in garbage out? If you fill your mind with garbage, the result will be garbage. Instead, fill your mind with the Word, knowledge and positive things. And maybe limit some other things like negative news, social media, and the Kardashians (LOL).
- Recognize and reject Satan’s lies
We have maintained that Satan tempts and troubles us by putting ideas and thoughts in our minds. He does this by preying on our struggles and past hurts. Let’s just call this what it is – lies. Recognize and reject his lies and replace them with Scripture that relay God’s truth.
We are told to take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ. This indicates that we have the power to do something about it. If I have an ungodly thought, I try to redirect myself and say, “get away Satan” and ask God for the strength to help me overcome.
- Be grateful
Humans are wired to focus on the negative. This bias is hardwired into our human nature and is designed to protect us. What is the remedy? Shifting your mind towards gratitude for what you have. We are told to be thankful numerous times in the Psalms (Psalms 30:4; 50:14; 92:1; 52:2; 100:4; 105:1; 136:6, etc.). Keeping a gratitude journal and recording at least three things that you are grateful for can be quite helpful in counting your blessings.
In conclusion, we are human and, since the dawn of our existence have been prone to accumulate mess and the resulting strongholds. However, if we nurture our relationships with God and actively work to demolish our strongholds, we can begin to realize our God-given potential and live unencumbered lives.
