Battle for the Mind

A friend of mine recently started a book club and the first book was Joyce Meyer's Battlefield of the Mind.  Because of different things going on, I wasn't able to participate in the book club, but I was able to do a two week devotional based on the book.  It was a great reminder of the power that our thoughts hold.

Since completing that devotional I've tried to be very conscious of what's on my mind, where my thoughts lead me.  And I've become keenly aware at how easy it is for my mind to start with one small thought and end up totally lost on a trail that is then effecting my emotions.  I've found myself thinking just one small thought that, on it's own, is nothing.  But where that thought leads is negative.  One thought will bring up a hurt that was long ago forgiven, but now stirs emotion.  One thought will create a string of thoughts that lead to emotion about something that hasn't even happened...but in my mind I allowed to happen.

I'll be honest.  At first I was a little taken aback at the realization of what my mind does to me.  I honestly thought I had a pretty good "thought" life.  What I've learned through this short journey is that my mind really is a battlefield.

The enemy knows that if a single thought is planted and allowed to grow, he can completely sideline my day.  I've found myself a lot over these last weeks spending more time in prayer than usual.  Not over things going on, but just on things in my head.  I've found myself literally exercising II Corinthians 10: 5 (I destroy every claim and every reason that keeps people from knowing God.  I keep every thought under control in order to make it obey Christ.) on almost a daily basis.

I've also found great power in knowing that those thoughts are not His thoughts about me, about my life, about my family, about my future.  I've found great power in knowing that those thoughts, with just a prayer, are in complete submission to Him.  I've found that my mind is the biggest battle that I will ever fight against.  And I've found that I will continue to win the battle, in Him.