“And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise. Keep putting into practice all you learned and received from me—everything you heard from me and saw me doing. Then the God of peace will be with you.” – Philippians 4:8 NLT
Can I Overcome My Bad Thoughts?
You’re probably all too familiar with the feeling of having too many thoughts in your brain: schedules, finances, dinner plans, sports, work projects, kids keeping you up at night. The list goes on and on…You’ve barely caught up with yesterday's thoughts, and now there are more from today to add to the stack.
Whether you’re struggling with negative thinking, overthinking, or anything in-between, wouldn’t it be nice to finally feel a sense of clarity? To discover a moment of peace and quiet––not only around you, but within your own mind? It’s not impossible. In fact, it’s promised in God’s Word. In his letter to the Philippians, the Apostle Paul wrote, “Keep putting into practice all you learned and received from me––everything you heard from me and saw me doing. Then the God of peace will be with you” (Philippians 4:8 NLT).
So what are these things that Paul exhorts the followers of Jesus in Philippi to do? If we jump back a few verses, we’re given a great launching point: “Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise.”
For Paul, there’s a thread to follow––steps that lead us into the presence of the God of peace. And it all starts with where we fix our minds. Wherever you find yourself today––dealing with anxiety, intrusive thoughts, or just a general sense of mental unrest––the best thing you can do is vigilantly fight to fill your mind with positive, God-honoring thoughts. Focus your attention on things above (Colossians 3:2).
But you may find yourself thinking, what if I’m having trouble focusing on these things?
Why Does My Mind Feel Out of Control?
In a different letter to the church in Corinth, Paul wrote, “We destroy every proud obstacle that keeps people from knowing God. We capture their rebellious thoughts and teach them to obey Christ” (2 Corinthians 10:5 NLT).
Now read that verse again…but this time with a few small changes: “[I can] destroy every proud obstacle that keeps [me] from knowing God. [I can] capture [my] rebellious thoughts and teach them to obey Christ.”
The idea of rebellious thoughts (thoughts outside of our control) can be presented in one of two ways, and both are valid. In one interpretation, rebellious thoughts can refer to ideas that are directly rebellious toward God and His will. But we can also interpret the phrase to mean thoughts which rebel against our own desire to honor God.
Do you notice the slight difference between those two? Sometimes the problem we face is a negative mindset––telling ourselves that we know better than God, He doesn’t love or care about us, or isn’t present in our mental wrestlings. These are thoughts that tell us we know better and should figure out a solution our own way––in rebellion against God.
But other times, we struggle with thinking over the same thoughts too much. We know that God has promised to protect us, provide for our every need, and that He never leaves us in any struggle, but we continue to question. We replay moments over and over in our head. We play games of what if I had done this differently? You know what’s true and are doing your best to hold on to it, but your thoughts keep trying to convince you you’re wrong––in rebellion against yourself.
In both these ways of thinking, we are held captive to our thoughts. Whatever is at the forefront of our mind is perceived as reality. Whether it’s the negative thoughts of the moment or the incessant feeling that things will never change, our stream of consciousness is in control.
What you need is to turn the tables. It’s time for you to take your thoughts captive.
How Do I Take My Thoughts Captive?
There are a number of tools, tips, and tricks to use that help with taking thoughts captive. While everyone will find what works best for them through trial and error, here are a few biblical ways to help you overcome your struggle with unwanted thoughts:
1. Meditate on the Word of God
While our modern idea of meditation may bring to mind sitting still while trying to completely empty your mind, the Bible talks about meditation through a completely different lens. There are numerous commandments and encouragements to “meditate on [God’s] Word day and night” (see Joshua 1:8, Psalm 1:2, 119:97, 148, 143:5, 1 Timothy 4:15).
The Bible was written by a number of authors, but each author wrote with the same intentionality. Through deep understanding of the character and works of God, the passing down of history from one generation to the next, and the divine guidance of the Holy Spirit, the biblical authors composed their writings with the expectation that the reader would read and reread the Scriptures over and over. This is the basis for meditation.
The purpose of meditating on God’s Word is not to empty your mind of every thought, but to fill your mind with the holy Word of God. Having concrete words to center your mind around helps to redirect your thoughts when you find them going off the rails. The more you meditate on God’s Word, the more you’ll find it naturally returning to your mind when troubles rise up—leaving your old thoughts captive to the power of God’s Word.
2. Pray Without Ceasing
Think about your breathing. The inhale that expands your lungs, the exhale that releases pressure––each breath sustaining life. But what happens when you’re not thinking about your breathing? Your body doesn’t stop. It carries on this necessary and critical function to keep you alive.
Do we find our prayer life to be like this? Do we feel like prayer is critical to sustaining our spiritual lives? Prayer is a connecting point to God. A chance to be reminded of His nearness, share all of our thoughts with Him, and give Him the heaviness of our hearts. Just like with breathing, prayer can be a conscious action we take. Pausing to exhale all of our worries and fear, and inhaling to be filled with the refreshing Spirit of God. But also like breathing, prayer can carry on even when we’re not thinking about it.
In the letter to the Church in Thessalonica, Paul encourages the people to "Never stop praying” (1 Thessalonians 5:17 NLT). Other translations use the words “pray without ceasing” (ESV). The Apostle is not encouraging people to drop everything in their lives, post up in their bedrooms, and pray 24/7. He’s telling people to stay connected to God––transitioning those active times of prayer into an unconscious act where our thought process shifts from talking to ourselves to talking to God. When we’re not shouting into the echo chamber of our own minds, and instead find ourselves bringing every thought to God, we’ll find that we have much more confidence to face our thoughts because we have the Almighty Creator on our side.
The Importance of Practicing Positive Thinking
Getting to a place of taking your thoughts captive requires patience. This won’t be an overnight change. But with steady, consistent practice, you’ll notice changes in your thinking. Suddenly you’ll find moments where negative thought patterns have been replaced with good ones. Record these victories. Write them down in a journal or keep a note on your phone.
Use these victories as motivation to keep going. Let them inspire you for what tomorrow might look like. God doesn't want you to be captive to your thoughts, and He’s given you the keys to unlock your shackled mind. So take hold of His promise––meditate on the things of God as the Spirit leads you into the presence of the God of peace. Think on these things as God gives you everything you need to take your thoughts captive.
