Obedient Thoughts

How much control do you have over your thoughts? A lot? Not much at all? If you were to engage in a little meta-cognition, what would you find? A disciplined, self-controlled thought-life, or one of random, chaotic, lascivious indulgence?

If you think about your own thoughts, and even the thoughts of others around you, what you'll find is a wide spectrum on the meter of intentionality. It seems some people are able to use their minds for positive purpose and direction, yet others seem to be floundering, wavering, even drowning in their own thoughts, or in the thoughts of others. Why is this?

It's a matter of Spiritual Discipline. Notice I did not say SELF discipline, because it goes beyond our own human abilities to control the direction of our thoughts. It takes a profusion of help from and cooperation with the Holy Spirit. If by your own power you try to reign in your thoughts, you'll be straining against a runaway team of wild stallions. But if you continually surrender to God's influence over your mind, and fill your thoughts with His Word, you might just find yourself leading a well-trained mare before a smoothly drawn carriage.

"Of course we are human, but we don’t fight like humans. The weapons we use in our fight are not made by humans. Rather, they are powerful weapons from God. With them we destroy people’s defenses, that is, their arguments and all their intellectual arrogance that oppose the knowledge of God. We take every thought captive so that it is obedient to Christ." - 2 Corinthians 10:3-5 (GWT)

God has lovingly granted us weapons to use in fighting this battle in our minds. We are not left defenseless. May we use what He has given us, these powerful weapons of Spiritual renewal and regeneration to destroy the negative thoughts of others, as well as the chaotic internal workings of our own minds. What are these weapons, you may ask? The Word of God (Ephesians 6:17), and the Gifts of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23). May we learn to wield these divine weapons as we surrender to the Spirit's leadership, both in our actions and our thoughts. We can ask God to make our hearts and minds pleasing to Him (Psalm 19:14). And if we do ask, He will help.