“For to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace.” Romans 8:6 ESV
I hate snakes. I despise them with an intense passion like nothing else. Recently my parents and I were talking about snakes, and I twitched for a solid two minutes after the conversation was over (the topic came up in relation to a house I looked at. . . I didn’t put in an offer).
And I’m not trying to make a Genesis reference. I just don’t like them. I don’t like how they suddenly appear after lurking in the brush. I don’t like that they’re quiet. I don’t like how they move faster than me. But thankfully over time (and after seeing more of them during my morning runs) I can rationalize that the snakes in my neighborhood don’t really care about me. In fact, some of them are like me, just wanting to get some sun.
Sometimes struggles and emotions appear in my life in the same way – lurking, quiet, and then moving fast. I think I’ve overcome something like self-doubt and then BAM, it appears, having snuck in when I wasn’t paying attention. But rather than try to eliminate these struggles and unwanted emotions in my daily life, I want to rationalize them away.
How do I do that? By knowing what God says about me.
Because negative thoughts don’t come from God.
Wait, what? Yup, it’s true. God doesn’t think the negative things about me that I think about myself.
He doesn’t because His thoughts are higher than mine. . .
For my thoughts are not your thoughts,
Isaiah 55:8-9 ESV
neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord.
For as the heavens are higher than the earth,
so are my ways higher than your ways
and my thoughts than your thoughts.
. . . and because I am His child.
But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God
John 1:12 ESV
If God’s thoughts are higher than mine, and if I’m loved by Him as His child, then why do I have these thoughts about myself?
Because the evil one would like nothing more than to steer us away from God (1 John 5:19 ESV). He creeps in and tries to make us question ourselves and God’s love for us (Matthew 13:38 ESV). But he’s no match for our God, and our God protects us (Ephesians 6:16 ESV; 2 Thessalonians 3:3 ESV).
And wait! There’s more good news:
We can ask God to help us guard our thoughts (Psalm 139:23 ESV). . .
because God knows our thoughts (Psalm 139:2 ESV). . .
and although we need to be careful (2 Corinthians 11:3 ESV). . .
God will guard our minds (Philippians 4:7 ESV).
But don’t take my word for it. The Bible is filled with God’s thoughts about you. . . go check them out!
What negative thoughts are you experiencing lately? What step will you take today to turn those thoughts toward God’s thoughts about you?
“For to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace.” Romans 8:6 ESV
