It hits you when you’re at your weakest. When you’re tired.
When something rubbed you the wrong way at work. When you didn’t get that
raise. When you got reprimanded- whether or not it was your fault. When your
husband was late home from work. When your dress was a bit tighter than you
remembered. When you got laid off. When your child didn’t obey.
Whatever happened, it did not make you feel good about
yourself, or your life.
And it replays again and again in your mind with “what-if’s”
and “If only I’s” punctuating the story.
And then come the lies. Ones like “You’re not good enough.” “You’re
a failure.” “You are trash!”
And you believe it.
It’s the horrible downward spiral of negative thoughts and
words.
But where does it come from?
Q: What is the
primary source of negativity in your life? It may be your thoughts, it may be a
person, or a media source, some combination of all of these. It may be
something else entirely. Please write down your answer after careful thought.
You may share if you keep your answer vague. Please remember this is not a
gripe-fest. This is for healing.
Please read our text:
Philippians 4:8-9 and Psalm 103:2-4
Fix your thoughts on what is true!
John 8:32 “And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” NLT
Q: I would like
for you to prayerfully consider this:
When you have negative thoughts, do you believe they are an attack from Satan,
or do you believe that it is your sin nature of doubt and pride showing up?
(it may be a
combination of the two)
Knowing the source of the negativity help you tackle it.
If it is a lie from Satan, remind yourself of these precious
words from Scripture:
Psalm 103:2-4 “Bless the Lord, O my soul,And forget not all His benefits:Who forgives all your iniquities,Who heals all your diseases,Who redeems your life from destruction,Who crowns you with lovingkindness and tender mercies” NKJV emphasis mine
When you think a thought such as “I’m not good enough,” or
someone criticizes you, “You keep messing up!”, take heart. God doesn’t see you
that way. He has already lovingly carried a heavy cross on a back rubbed raw, just for you! A heavy wooden cross built
from all the shame, guilt, and ugly across time. Child of God, that’s where
your ‘not-enough’ went to. You don’t hold that any more. Your not-enough
was crucified with Christ on the cross. It’s dead. It’s gone. The Christ-in-you
is what remains. Just Christ. And with Christ in you, you most certainly are
enough.
Don’t you see?
Romans 8:10 “And Christ lives within you, so even though your body will die because of sin, the Spirit gives you life because you have been made right with God.” NLT
But Satan knows our weakness, and will do his best to remind
us of where we failed. He will try to convince us to turn back, ‘because it’s
not worth it anyway. You’re not worth
it.’.
Satan is wrong.
Read our next passage, Genesis
18:22-33, looking carefully for God’s heart- because, Sister, God’s heart
is the same today as it was yesterday, and the same as it was 4500 years ago
back in Abraham’s time.
I believe if Abraham had continued asking for smaller
numbers all the way down to one, God would have still agreed.
So if Satan is trying to get you down with guilt over
something you’ve done, either recently or before your walk with Christ, remember
whose you are. Remember Who cleansed you from all of it. All of it.
1 John 1:9 “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” NKJV emphasis mine
So if you are cleansed from that, and freed from the guilt,
power and punishment from sin, you are truly truly free. It bears repeating.
You are free. No matter how often or how cruelly Satan tries to re-chain you to
your sin, to your sin’s punishment, to the shame and poor image carried by the
old you that Christ freed you from,
he cannot. Because you are free.
John 8:36 “Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed.” NKJV
If it is not a direct attack from Satan to get you cycling
down the negative way, then is it pride taking you there?
Consider this. Pride is a form of self-focus, correct? So,
if we’re looking at a situation, accepting blame or fault when it’s not ours to
accept, could that be a form of pride?
Q: Why or why
not? Please share.
I believe it can be. If you are so focused on yourself in a
situation that you feel like if only you
were better, you would’ve done this
better, or that sooner; if you feel like you
are to blame for your poor circumstance, lack of acceptance, or missed
promotion; if you perform better, your husband would come home from work
sooner; if you this or that…. maybe we
need to adjust your lens.
It’s not all about you! It’s not all about me! Are you
following me?
Maybe, just maybe
God’s working on someone else in this situation, and you are a civilian this
time. What do you think about that?
Isaiah 55:8 ““My thoughts are nothing like your thoughts,” says the Lord. “And my ways are far beyond anything you could imagine.”” NLT
Romans 11:33 “Oh, how great are God’s riches and wisdom and knowledge! How impossible it is for us to understand his decisions and his ways!” NLT
As good as we think we are at reading God by now, He may
just have a plan we can’t see this side of Heaven. No need throwing a
pity-party when our situation isn’t ideal, as long as another soul comes to
know Jesus, amen?
We just never know what God’s plan is. If our situation didn’t
work out, it doesn’t mean that there’s something the matter with us- it may
mean that God’s got a scenario lined up to reach another child, or to bring
another child into the molding and shaping they need to be like Christ. If you
get a little bent out of shape (or molded and shaped too) in the meantime, then
so be it. It doesn’t mean that you’re all that bad to have deserved it.
Make sense?
God thinks highly of you, no matter what He allows across
your path. No need fretting, looking at yourself in self-pity, or berating
yourself for who you aren’t or what you did wrong. Look at yourself the way God
does; as a child of God, imperfect and saved by grace; on this earth to bring
Him glory. If we’re wrapped up in what ifs, we are not glorifying our Savior.
He saved you from the what-ifs.
His positive thinking is more than the Dr. Phil variety. It’s
Kingdom thinking. It’s thinking about God’s bigger picture, resisting the
enemy, and shining His light.
Let’s unwind from the negative spiral and focus our thoughts
on Jesus.
Hebrews 12:2 “We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith. Because of the joy awaiting him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Now he is seated in the place of honor beside God’s throne.” NLT
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