Healing my Thought Life

Have you noticed my new header?  Yes, I know I went awfully pink.  For the men who read this devotional blog, please bear with me.  Eventually, I will change it.  I wanted a special header that was not like anyone else's, for God has made each of us as unique beings.  We have many similarities, but we are like snowflakes--not one is alike.  That is so very important to remember in reading my blogs.  If you, I, and someone else suffer with the same chronic illness, we may not experience all the same symptoms.  However, we have a God that knows exactly what is going on in each of us.  And guys, I am  a female, also I like pink; so bear with me until I change the Header again.

You probably noticed words and a scripture passage on my page header, and I picked these to remind us to notice where our thoughts are going.  Yes, I know things enter in that are unpleasant, and we cannot hide from the constant bombardment most of us experience in this day and age.  But that must have been a problem back when the Bible was written too.  

One evening I felt like doodling.  I was feeling
 fatigued and sad, but this lifted my spirits.
Child's play?  Maybe not.  Maybe this was
good therapy.  I concentrated on this, and I was
able to sort my thoughts in a more positive manner.

 Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things.  Philippians 4:8 (NASB)

When one is dealing with an illness, it is easy to constantly center on how bad we feel.  If a person is depressed, the dull or heavy pain that seems to never leave is impossible to forget. I understand that.  In fact, when I was reading some self-help material, I tore that book up and threw it in the trash.  How dare the authors tell me I had a choice about being happy!  How could I possibly feel happy when I felt like I was being sucked in a dark hole?

What I want you to know is Philippians 4:8 can help you change your thought life.  
Write it on a post-it or an index card.  Tape it to your mirror in the bathroom.  Tape it on the refrigerator.  Put it on your door.  Instead of thinking of all the problems and all the bad things in your life, think about what you have to be thankful for.  Think about how much God loves you, certainly, more than we can comprehend.  Don't dwell on the past, nor the future.  Deal with today.  Thank God for the beauty in His world, the phone call you didn't expect, the joke that made you smile.  

I am more careful about what I put in my mind.  For instance, I pay attention to the news stories on television, and I pray for people I don't even know.  However, if I find my spirit being pulled down by something gruesome, I do not dwell on that.  Sometimes, all one can do is pray.  Worrying does not help you or anyone else in this world.  In fact, it is more likely to make you sick and ineffective, which leads to a vicious cycle of one bad thought after  another.  However, I am not telling you that one should not take a stand for what you believe.  

Suggestion:  Study the words in this verse, list them , and then list things in your life that are true, honorable, right, pure, excellent, and worthy of praise.  Meditate on these and how God has blessed you.  During the course of the day, if you think a negative thought, turn it around.  How can you think of this in a positive light?  Often, people think or say negative things about their own selves.  Make this an everyday practice.  I can testify to the positive effects it will have in your thought life and in your heart. 

I am sitting here falling asleep.  I am going to go think positive thoughts in bed and say a prayer.  Have a wonderful weekend!