Choosing Your Thoughts
By Alexis A. Goring
“Today I have given you the choice between life and death, between blessings and curses. Now I call on heaven and earth to witness the choice you make. Oh, that you would choose life, so that you and your descendants might live! You can make this choice by loving the Lord your God, obeying him, and committing yourself firmly to him. This is the key to your life. And if you love and obey the Lord, you will live long in the land the Lord swore to give your ancestors Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.” - Deuteronomy 30:19-20 NLT
*Note to Readers: This devotional discusses my journey with food and dietary habits. If this is a sensitive subject for you, please take the care you need while reading.
God impressed me with the words “You can choose your thoughts” one Friday evening as I was winding down for the day. It hadn’t been an easy day for me because my mind was focused on everything wrong instead of what had gone right. It was then, after hours of God silently listening to my thoughts and unspoken prayers, that He spoke those words into my spirit.
I was immediately reminded of the song “Choose Life” (by Big Tent Revival), as well as 2 Corinthians 10:5 NIV, which says, “We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.” God understands. He knows we’re frail humans. Psalm 103:13-16 (ESV) tells us, “As a father shows compassion to his children, so the Lord shows compassion to those who fear him. For he knows our frame; he remembers that we are dust. As for man, his days are like grass; he flourishes like a flower of the field; for the wind passes over it, and it is gone, and its place knows it no more.” God knows we’ll struggle with our thoughts and He gives us grace.
A personal trainer would often tell her clients, “Change your mind, change your life.” I’ve found that to be true, especially when we’re wrestling with negative thoughts and memories of hurtful experiences. Speaking for myself, when my thoughts are unhealthy, my eating habits soon follow in that destructive path as I reach for comfort foods to soothe me. But coping with food is not good for us, even though it’s very common. Society has accepted and normalized drowning heartbreak in a pint of ice cream or stuffing down feelings with pizza. The variety of foods we choose to help us feel better is endless. But after we’ve consumed them, we often feel worse than before. If we do this consistently, then we may feel even worse still when those calories show up on our bodies as unwanted fat.
But, I’ve learned (and am still learning) that if we make a choice to take captive our negative thoughts and make them obedient to our Savior (Jesus Christ), He will help us win the battle of destructive habits that hurt us more than help. I speak from experience when I say that it is not easy to do! But in Christ, we find freedom. I’m a work in progress, still working on learning to cope with Christ instead of using food. I’ve had a few small victories along the way, and in those times when I did not cave and resort to feeding my emotions with unhealthy food, I felt so much better than the many times I gave in to my cravings. (Note: If you struggle with disordered eating, I encourage you to reach out to a medical professional who can help you heal because while studying and applying God’s Word can bring you comfort, sometimes we also need medical intervention here on Earth to help us heal. God also works through His people, who are caring professionals equipped with practical tools to help us overcome struggles.)
The Bible says that our spirit is willing, but our flesh is weak (Matthew 26:41). This applies to every battle we face and every bad habit we’re trying to break. But there is hope because the Bible also says we can do all things through Christ who strengthens us (Philippians 4:13).
Again, it’s not easy, but fighting this battle as God gives us strength is worth it! In recent days, I’ve decided to search for Scriptures that will help me avoid emotional eating. I’m doing this before I’m tempted to cope with comfort food. I plan to write out these verses and keep them with me at all times, as well as memorize them so that when temptations arise, I’m prepared and ready to overcome with God’s Word.
I hope that my message today will encourage your heart and help you win any battle you’re facing, too. Always remember that we have Jesus and that with Him all things are possible!
Intersecting Faith and Life:
What battles are you facing that you feel you cannot win? How does knowing that God fights for you and can help you overcome anything, affect your mindset?
Further Reading:
2 Chronicles 20:15
Jeremiah 1:19
Nahum 1:7
Romans 8:31
Psalm 121:1-2
Also read:
“How 2 Corinthians 10:5 Teaches Us to Take Every Thought Captive” by Lia Martin
“How Do You Take Your Thoughts Captive, like the Bible Commands?” by Matt Tommey
Photo Credit: ©GettyImages/AaronAmat
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