How is your mental health lately?
One of the silver linings of this past pandemic year has been the number of people seeking mental health care. I think that’s a joy and a win for Christ’s kingdom.
Recently, someone recommended the book “Battlefield of the Mind: Winning the battle in Your Mind” by Joyce Meyer to me. It was an interesting read, and though I don’t one hundred percent agree with all her arguments, I did find several ideas in the book helpful and interesting.
One of the passages she cites has been on my mind a lot recently, and it’s about taking every thought captive and making it obedient to Christ. Here’s the passage:
Paul’s Defense of His Ministry: 2 Corinthians 10:1-6
10 By the humility and gentleness of Christ, I appeal to you—I, Paul, who am “timid” when face to face with you, but “bold” toward you when away! 2 I beg you that when I come I may not have to be as bold as I expect to be toward some people who think that we live by the standards of this world. 3 For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. 4 The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. 5 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. 6 And we will be ready to punish every act of disobedience, once your obedience is complete.
I have a very active imagination. My dreams are vivid and I daydream A LOT (feel bad for poor Jonah, who has to try to get my attention when I’m immersed in thought!). When I read scripture, I sometimes get visual images that help me put things into perspective. This passage, for whatever reason, reminds me of Pirates of the Caribbean and walking the plank.
The mental warfare that is going on in our minds is just as real as the warfare we see playing out in the world everyday. The difference lies in the types of weapons we have at our disposal to fight those battles. We’ve got spiritual armor to defend us, and one amazing weapon: the Word of God.
As someone who battles daily with negative thinking patterns, I find it extremely helpful to visualize making every negative thought I have walk the plank.
Is your thinking, not just your behavior, obedient to Christ? When you find yourself overgeneralizing, jumping to conclusions, entertaining made-up scenarios and conversations with people who frustrate you, can you arrest that thought and make it walk the plank?
I’d love to hear your thoughts on this passage. After reading it, what is your main takeaway? Leave a comment below!
Coming up:
Wednesday: Lessons Learned So Far from the Jubilee Garden (+ Pictures!)
Next Sunday: Knit Together – Psalm 139
