Our Thoughts

Our thoughts are the center of our being. They ultimately determine the path we will take in our lives. They determine our success in work, family, and relationships. They can also affect our emotional and physical health.

Taking our thoughts captive is a difficult process we must learn in order to live a peaceful life in obedience to Christ. We only need to read the newspaper, the Internet, or turn on the television to see the effect of wrong thinking.

Sometimes, wrong thinking may seem right to us. For example, maybe your family taught you to speak your mind, or they may have taught you to hold everything inside. Either way could be so engraved into your thinking that you believe it is right. It isn’t until you face a crisis that you realize there may be a better way.

We humans tend to resist making change until we reach a critical pain level caused by the behavior in need of change. As my husband always says, sometimes we need to be hit over the head with a two-by-four in order to turn our attention to God. Many of us hit rock bottom before we decide it’s time to make some changes. Most Christians came to God after a rock bottom experience.

Many spouses who jeopardize their marriages with unacceptable behavior do nothing to change it until they are threatened with losing their families. It often takes the other spouse actually leaving or filing for divorce before they make those necessary changes.

We are creatures of habit and stay comfortable where we are, regardless if it is right or wrong. Making a change is difficult, and many people remain blinded to wrong thoughts and behavior.

We need to work constantly at taking our thoughts captive. Learn what works best for you. The hardest part may be in recognizing that a thought needs to be discarded. We can dwell on negative thoughts for too long and not even realize it.

Ask for God’s help in changing your thinking. Over time, you will learn to distinguish between those thoughts that are obedient to God’s word, and those thoughts that come from your flesh or the mind of Satan.

If our thoughts are the center of our being, they need to be obedient to Christ to have Him as the center of our lives. His will should be our desire and our thoughts should revolve around His plan for us.

It is not much different for our marriage relationships. Our thoughts should be edifying and conducive to positive behavior towards our spouse. Their well-being should be our desire and our thoughts should revolve around putting them ahead of our own self.