I have not set as many new year’s resolutions as I used to. Somewhere in February I get knocked off my game and then spend the next ten months feeling like I have let myself down. If this is you, I have the new year’s resolution for us!
“Change your mind”
‘Change your mind’ is a phrase we use in English without much thought, but nothing will force you to analyze your own language like trying to explain it to a non-English speaking student. In English, when we say “I changed my mind” it usually signals a decision change. I was doing this or going there and I “changed my mind”. When my family and I lived in Ukraine, this phrase sounded hilarious to Ukrainians studying English.
In Russian, the term is “change your thoughts”, so to our English students in Ukraine, our idiom translated as “change your head” which sounds funny to them. To me, this quirky language difference actually became a clearer word picture of what Paul describes in Philippians 4:22:
“put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires,”
Put Off Your Old Self- Change Your Head
A brain transplant may be easier said than done. I liked the way Dr. Dan Siegel (a professor of clinical psychiatry) wrote the first three lines of the following poem. Chat Gpt and I added to it a little.
“Where attention goes,
Neural firing flows,
In tangled webs, the circuit glows.”
A spark, a pulse, a fleeting light,
Signals race through paths of might.
Each thought a seed, each seed a vine,
A growing lattice, intertwined.
Focus sharp, the map refines,
New bridges form, old ones unwind.
The gardener tends with quiet care,
To shape the forest blooming there.
So, wield your gaze with gentle grace,
For where it lingers, it will trace,
The architecture of your mind—
A masterpiece by thought designed.
What you feed into your brain becomes what you dwell on. What you dwell on becomes the worn paths that your brain patterns will follow. Your thoughts become actions, your actions will impact relationships, and your surroundings. Your surroundings will affirm your attitude and feeds back into those pathways that will feed back into that neural firing. With practice you can learn to switch off that negative thought pattern. If you return to the well of living water Jesus spoke of in John 4:14 It can become in you a well that springs up into eternal life.
Again, the writings of Paul:
“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
Every thought though?? As women, we can juggle about 25 neurological pathways at a single moment. However, Paul says “Take every thought captive”. With practice, you can harness all that brain activity and channel it toward productive positivity.
Arm Yourself with Scripture in the Battle for Your Mind
Self-Worth You are redeemed through the precious blood of Jesus 1Peter 1: 18-19
Self-Image You are his workmanship Ephesians 2:10
Isolation Where can I go from your presence? If I go up to the heavens, you are there. If I make my bed in the depths you are there. Psalms 139:7
Self-Criticism I praise you, (God) for I am fearfully and wonderfully made Psalms 139:14
Strife Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces endurance. James 1:2-4
Fear So do not fear for I am with you; Do not be dismayed for I am your God Isaiah 41:10
Worry Cast all your anxiety on Him for he cares for you Peter 5:7
Stress Peace I leave with you, my peace I give to you; Not as the world gives do I give John 14:26
Control Rest in the Lord and wait patiently for Him Psalms 37:7
Loneliness Comfort yourselves together, and edify one another 1 Thessalonians 5:11
Anxiety Be anxious for nothing but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God. Philippians 4:6
Un-identify
We must Un-identify. Pick from the list above which of these you often tend to find swirling around in your head. Pin it down so you can face it head on.
Journal. Many people find that this is a good way to align your thoughts with spiritual truth. Next to each negative thought write what is true.
Pray. having a quiet time with your heavenly father is incredibly liberating. Ask Him to hold all those feelings for you.
Take Care of Yourself– Often we set aside our self care when we feel these negative emotions. Studies have shown that even short stints of activity outdoors positively impacts the development of gray matter in the right dorsolateral- prefrontal cortex. Outdoor activity can positively impact brain structure and mood which also effects the cognitive ability and mental clarity. https://www.mpib-berlin.mpg.de/press-releases/taking-the-brain-out-for-a-walk
This is a message that benefits as well as being a pleasure to read. Thank you and may you new year be filled with the love of the LORD and your love of HIM.
Thank you Katie, for challenging us to “change our head” I love it! Also, the reminder to take every thought captive is important as well. Thanks for the great list of scriptures to combat negative thinking, or as it was once called, “stinkin’ thinking”