MY BLOGS

In Part 1 we talked about identifying and acknowledging the stressors and emotions associated with our battles, reminding ourselves that these thoughts and emotions are normal, but we can overcome debilitating emotions.

The next step is to calm our minds in the midst of the countless tumultuous thoughts.

As a kid I was always mesmerized by the sparklers, how sparks crackled and scattered in every direction. Though, I never liked the charred, burned-out sticks afterwards.

In stressful situations my brain flares up like sparklers as millions of neurons fire simultaneously. Sparks fly in every direction as endless fearful thoughts, doubts, and what-if scenarios bombard my mind. I am left stranded with a sick drained-of-energy feeling, lifeless as the blackened sparklers.

How do I calm my mind in stressful situations? How do I stop millions of devastating thoughts?

1. Choose to stand strong against your fears. We are equipped to stand strong: “By His divine power, God has given us everything we need for living a godly life.” ^[2] We have a reminder for each day of the year that we have a choice. Three hundred and sixty-five times in various ways the Bible tells us to “Fear not,” “do not be afraid,” “Do not be dismayed,” and “Do not let your heart be troubled.” How can you become “not afraid”?

2. Stop entertaining the troubling thoughts and mindset of fears, doubts, guilt, anger, anxiety, shame and inadequacy. Stop calculating the “what if” scenarios and stop fretting over possible future developments that will probably never happen. By being aware of your thoughts, you can learn to control your thoughts. Yes, exercise your choice and bring under control every fearful, doubtful, worrisome thoughts and other emotions. It is an ongoing process of deliberate choices to control the negative thinking process and to unlearn the learned neural pathways of the pain and other symptoms. As we exercise our muscles in the gym to get stronger, we have to stretch our minds to be overcomers.

3. Replace the unhealthy thoughts with what is true, honorable, right, pure, lovely, and admirable. Focus on what is excellent and worthy of praise. ^[3]Fill your mind with the abundance of God’s promises. There are over 3,000 promises in the Bible revealing God’s character, purposes, and His love for us. A nineteenth-century theologian Charles Spurgeon refers to “I will be their God” as the masterpiece of all God’s promises. What’s in this promise for me? We will have the privileges of an eternal family in eternal life in the eternal presence of God. In the present, it means He loves us, He forgives, provides, protects, guides, provides wisdom and insight, gives rest, and renews our strength and peace of mind. He delivers us from fears and anxiety when we accept Him and fully surrender our lives and trust that He knows best.

I stand strong by my choice to not be afraid; I replace old fearful thoughts with good, pure, and lovely thoughts focused on the One and His promises. I sing along “Your promises still stand–great is Your faithfulness, I am still in Your hands, this is my confidence, I never will forget, you’ve never failed me yet, the night won’t last, Jesus you are still enough.” I believe He goes before me and comes behind me, He is for me and not against me. Peace that surpasses all understanding fills my mind. Fears vanish like California’s June gloom around noon. Because He is our God, my mind calms down and yours can as well.

1. Isaiah 26: 3 (NLT)
2. 2 Peter 1:3 (NLT)
3. Philippians 4:8 (NLT