The Thoughts That Sink Us
“A ship does not sink because of the water around it but because of the water that gets in” (Anonymous).
This quote recently caught my attention as I was browsing through Facebook. As a therapist, it made me think about my clients and their struggles with depression and anxiety. Life can be tough, and everyone feels like they are sinking at times.
For me personally, I thought about how the busyness of life can set me over the edge. It’s during these times that I find myself tempted to yell at my kids or be rude to my husband. I, too, let things get “in” when I’m out of balance, when life gets too busy and when I’m giving my emotions too much reign.
Failure is not our identity
I’ve learned it’s important to not take these failures personally. Failure is not our identity. Not being able to finish all the chores of life does not mean that we are not living up to what we are supposed to be doing. Life gets busy. Things get stressful. Bad things do happen. But those things around us do not have to get “in”. As I prayed the Lord reminded me of Romans 12:2.
“Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect” (Romans 12:2, English Standard Version).
Winning the battle for our minds
The only way to not let the stress of the world get “in”, so that we can continue to float on top of the water instead of drowning, is to keep our minds clear of the lies the world tells us. So how do we do this?
- Renew you mind every morning with the Word of God.
- Identify thoughts that are not from the Lord and get them out of your mind right away.
- Don’t dwell on the thoughts and feelings of failure, not being good enough or needing to be something that you are not. Stop those thoughts and replace them with the truth.
God made you just the way you are. God looks at your heart and is glad when our desire is to follow him wholeheartedly. He knows the struggles we have and there is grace for that.
“We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ” (2 Corinthians 10:5, English Standard Version).
Personal Reflection
- Have the worries or busyness of life ever made you feel like you were sinking? If so, why?
- Are you letting the stresses of this world “in”, affecting your mind and your emotions?
- What happens when we let our negative thoughts and stress overwhelm us?
- What does God’s Word tell us to do instead of becoming conformed to this world?
- How can we keep our minds clear of the lies that the world tells us?
- What will you do the next time your thoughts start to “sink” you?
Prayer
Father God, please help me to be able to identify when my thoughts are not of You. Help me not to be conformed to this world. Help me to fight thoughts and feelings of anxiety, failure, and fear. Help me to look to You for my identity.
“Scripture quotations are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.”
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