Encouragement

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Banishing Negative Thinking

Quite frankly, I don’t buy a lot of magazines because I can’t fit them into my budget. But, sometimes I treat myself to a magazine I enjoy for it’s coupons, which save me money, for it’s creative articles that teaches me how to use simple things to decorate with, and from time to time an article jumps out at me that is worth the read. Recently I purchased this magazine and was amazed at an article I read in it.

The article tells me five ways to banish negative thinking. I laughed right out loud because, to me, every one of the ways listed are so Biblical. If the editor of this magazine knew these ways were Biblical, I wonder if they would have been printed it? I don’t know if a non believer would see them as Biblical, but I sure did. Allow me to share what I’ve read and what I saw as Biblical.

It is explained that we all mull over our problems but if we dwell on stress or worries, we have what psychologists call a “ruination habit.” They say this tendency to worry ceaselessly can lead to a downward spiral of negative thinking, triggering depression, anxieties, substance abuse or binge eating. The article shares five ways to break the “ruination habit.”

First I am suppose to set aside a time to mull and ponder my troubles. They encourage me when I start obsessing about the problem I should visualize a stop sign and stop. Set aside a certain time, (not bedtime), and use that set aside time to think on the problem, mull it over, and then tell myself that I’m done with it for that day and move on. They assure me that it will be difficult at first but in time it becomes easy.

When I first read their advice, I immediately thought about Jesus. What did Jesus do when life got the better of Him? He went to the mountains and He PRAYED! Luke 6:12, “And it came to pass in those days, that He went out into a mountain to pray, and continued all night in prayer to God.”
Throughout the New Testament there is much reference to Jesus getting alone to pray. When He was facing the cross, what did Jesus do? He went to pray. He took the time to pray for Himself, His disciples, and even for me. I cannot imagine having to face dying on a cross. I can’t find any Scripture that tells me when Jesus had a lot on His mind He headed for the nearest food cupboard or refrigerator. The magazine tells me I am to set some time apart and use that time to deal with my troubles. Is that not what Jesus has taught us?


Paul tells us in Acts 6:4, “…give ourselves continually to prayer and to the ministry of the Word.” The Old Testament assures us that God “will regard the prayer of the destitute…” Psalms 102:17. And we have Proverbs 15:29, “…He hears the prayer of the righteous.”

There is so much in this world that we are concerned about. Let’s be honest, this world is a mess! Some of us have so much on our plates that daily we feel like we are drowning. The magazine suggests we set a certain time daily to deal with our worries. The Bible tells me that Jesus is always available and is always willing to listen to me. Jesus set the best example of setting aside a time. He did so Himself. Am I setting that time in prayer aside to deal with my worries and problems or am I headed to the refrigerator, cupboard or depending on things to get me thru?

I love what the magazine article suggested next. They suggested I zero in on my issues. Countless times I have advocated the need in our lives for specific prayer. Years ago God taught me how He loves to hear us pray for specific things. I needed a garbage bag. Did I bother God about such a thing? No. Did He supply one? Yes. He put a garbage bag over hangers of shirts someone left hanging on our back door for our boys. Did I need food to feed my kids? Yes I did. Did I ask God, well………….yes, I asked for food, but nothing specific. God sent me name brand products and specific things. I went to praying for toilet paper, ketchup, garbage bags, and I was very specific in what I asked for.

When we needed $6000 dollars more to buy our house, did I pray for $6000? Yes I did, along with one other prayer warrior I trusted to pray. Did God send me exactly $6000? Yes He did!

Matthew 17:20 says if I have faith as a grain of mustard seed, I can move mountains. Matthew 7:7, “ASK, and it shall be given…” I need to make sure I am “zeroing” in on what my worries and problems are when I set my time aside in prayer.

Philippians 4:6 & 7, “Be careful for nothing: but in EVERYTHING by prayer and supplications with thanksgiving, LET YOUR REQUESTS be made known unto God. And the PEACE OF GOD, which passes all understanding shall keep your hearts AND MINDS through Christ Jesus.”

I need physical healing. Have I asked God for it? I need mental healing? Have I been specific and told God it’s what I need? I need a pair of black shoes? Did I ask God for a pair of black shoes? I need a gallon of green paint to liven up my office. Have I zeroed in on this need and asked God to supply it? I can go on and on and on with specific needs in my corner of the world. How’s the corner of your world? We need to be specific with God! He wants us to zero in with Him.

The next suggestion from the magazine tells me I need to swing into action. In plain English, put feet to motion. It’s easy for me to sit here and write what I am writing. But to be honest, it’s a whole lot harder to DO what I am writing.

For some months now my prayer life has suffered miserably. My mind has been such a mess and my heart so full of loss and hurt, I have not even had “fumes” to run on. I have barely been existing. The loss of my mother in December last year has proven to be a far greater challenge and adjustment to me than I ever thought it would be. There was tremendous relief that overcome me when God finally took Mom home. She wasn’t suffering anymore and the thankfulness in my soul, my heart, the very depth of my being cannot be explained. Mom deserved the best and finally she had the best. How grateful I was and am for that!

After her passing, as each day passed, I became more and more lost without her. It has proven to be a very difficult challenge and adjustment to me. Am I out of the woods? No! I have come a long way, but have many miles to go. Daily I find myself asking God specifically for mental healing. I ask God specifically for spiritual healing. I am getting very specific with God and I can see and feel the difference.

I have been looking at every part of my Christian walk. I am doing everything I can to fix, repair, redo, and keep on going. I am swinging into action and doing what I need to make sure I am the daughter of God He wants me to be. It’s not easy. I have come a ways. I have a long way to go.

The magazine encourages me to put my feet to motion. Pay attention to the “action” words in this Bible verse. “Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and you will find, knock, and it will be opened unto you; For everyone that asks, receives; he that seeks, finds; and he that knocks, it shall be opened.” Matthew 7:7,8 What better way to swing into action, to put my feet to motion.

The next thing the magazine suggests to banish my negative thinking is to distract myself. Some may have read the article I wrote about the Christian toolbox. We all have one. It’s up to us to open the toolbox, look in it, and use what we find.

Each of us will have different tools in our toolboxes. It had been so long since I’d even looked in my toolbox, I forgot what was in there. Once I got it open, yep, there’s that wonderful music I so enjoy. I can’t remember how many times music has taken me to a quiet place where I so need to be. I’m playing music again! In the house, in the car! I am making every effort to listen to music to distract myself.

As you can see, God has given me the tool of writing, and here I am. I have not written much, let alone anything of any quality or value to anyone. My writing has always been my therapy. Even when I was young, I had pen and paper and was always writing. What a tremendous help to me and I am using it AGAIN! I give God all praise for this!

My front porch is in my toolbox. I spend a lot of time out there again. The smell of the honeysuckle in bloom is amazing. To see the flowers and greenery all around is so refreshing. It is even better when Bill can join me. Our time on the front porch is amazing. From laughing over the grandchildren to talking over serious stuff, the front porch is in my toolbox and allows me time to escape and to be distracted from the troubles and concerns I have.

My Bible is another tool in my toolbox. It’s been tough since Dad died six years ago for me to sit down and spend any quality time in the Word. That’s not easy for me to admit, but it’s the truth. Dad was an amazing Bible scholar. He was self taught. He never finished high school, let alone go to a college of any kind. But, Dad knew the Word. Every time I talked to him, whether on the phone or in person, we always shared Bible. If I needed help with a Bible study I would be working on, all I had to do was call Dad. He was wise about how he’d answer me. If it was a need to find a specific verse, Dad was pretty good about telling me where the verse was. If the question needed some in depth answers, Dad always used Scripture to answer me. I can’t put into words how much I miss him. Dad is gone, but God’s Word is not. “Thy Word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path.” Psalms 119:105.

Countless times in my life’s journey I have encouraged others to read a Psalms every day. If we can’t read anything else, read a Psalms. I am ashamed to say that I have not been practicing this. The Psalms is an easy read and is full of quiet, peace, love, understanding, encouragement, praise, and so much of God in that book it still amazes me. It’s a tool in my toolbox and unfortunately the rust had started to form. I know it’s way past time I put my feet to motion and get the rust off, not just the Psalms, but my entire Bible. In my Bible is where God is found. I cannot afford to lay it aside any longer.

Lastly, the magazine encourages me to take a new view of my troubles and concerns. I remember many years ago Dad would tell me I needed to read the book of Isaiah. I told Dad it was a hard book to read, had a lot of prophecy in it, and I didn’t want to read it because it was too hard to understand. Dad told me I needed to just read it. He said, “Don’t always try to understand what you read. Just read it.” As time went on the Holy Spirit constantly nagged at me to read the book of Isaiah and finally, I did. Even to this day, I stand amazed at what I found in the book of Isaiah.

One of my favorite passages is this: “Remember not the former things, neither consider the things of old. Behold, I will do a new thing now. It shall spring forth…” Isaiah 43:18,19

What an amazing find in that book! The magazine tells me to take a new view of my situation. The Bible tells me to forget the old. The Bible tells me something new is about to spring forth! It was while reading the book of Isaiah I really understood the call God has on my life. I’ve been slipping, and falling, and leaning to the left and often not leaning at all. I’ve not held up my end of my call very good for some time, but God tells me to forget what I’ve not done right. He tells me to not dwell on any failure I believe I have done. Something new will spring forth. A new view can’t get any better than that. To add to my new view, I share this verse with you, God tells me “I will go before you and make the crooked places straight…” Isaiah 45:2

Pray. (The magazine tells me to set worry hours.) Specific prayer. (The magazine tells me to zero in on my issues). Action. I must DO the things I know to do to make a difference in my life for Him. (The magazine tells me to swing into action). Music, Bible reading, prayer and looking in my toolbox. (The magazine tells me to find distractions from my troubles.) “I will do a new thing NOW…it shall spring forth…” Isaiah 43:19. (The magazine tells me to take a new view of my troubles and concerns).

I still wonder what the editor of the magazine would think if he or she knew how Biblical the magazine article really was!

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