5-4=unity
i'm learning in a new and deeper way today how what i choose to think about is going to dictate what my mind focuses on. it is very interesting. whether it's disease, anxieties, shitty circumstances, my sin, whatever, i tend to view everything in my life in a negative light. i allow my mind to drift to and dwell on negative and depressing things, and then all i can ever see is the negative. it creates in me a very unthankful and discontent spirit, and a very dark and depressing life. if drives me down and away from people. i trap myself in my own mind. i guess it's hard to explain, though i'm sure everyone has experienced it at least at some point. i'm processing in a new way what it means to take every thought captive for christ. often i allow my thoughts to take me captive, and to run away with me. i have the choice of what to think about and how to view my life. i don't have to be a slave to my mind and it's negativity. i can choose to be positive and see things in a more positive light. i can choose to be thankful and excited about the things i have in my life and that god is doing. i can choose to not be depressed, but to instead be joyful and content. it all has to do with the way i choose to look at things. this isn't the same as positive thinking, that if i think postively enough everything in my life will fall into place or something. this is totally different from that...it's more about which lens i choose to look at reality with. am i going to look for the bad in things and dwell on them and drown with them? or am i going to look for the good things going on and allow those to lift me up? i often get this confused with ignoring and running from the problems. that's not the right answer, either, because problems need to be dealt with. when i ignore them, they come back 10-fold and really drag me down. that's different. it's more about what Paul says in Philippians 4:
4 Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice!
5 Let your gentle spirit be known to all men. The Lord is near.
6 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.
7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
8 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.
9 The things you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.
Breathe, keep breathing
Don't lose your nerve
Breathe, keep breathing
I can't do this alone
4 Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice!
5 Let your gentle spirit be known to all men. The Lord is near.
6 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.
7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
8 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.
9 The things you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.
Breathe, keep breathing
Don't lose your nerve
Breathe, keep breathing
I can't do this alone