Do you ever find yourself overwhelmed by anxiety? Proverbs 23:7 says “for as he thinketh in his heart, so is he.“
Notice the three concepts in that verse; thoughts, emotions, and behavior?
The verse is instructing us that our thinking (as he thinketh) will impact our emotions, (in his heart) and our emotions impact our behavior (so is he).
To say it plainly, our anxiety problems start with what we think about, then our thoughts impact our emotions, then ultimately they determine our behavior.
A person’s bad behavior, or emotional outbursts are just indicators for what’s going on in his mind.
Consider prayerfully pursuing a spiritually disciplined mind, also known as "the mind of Christ." Specifically, stop thinking about things that are untrue, unjust, and impure. Instead, start thinking about things that are true, just, and pure.
Just as you should try to develop your physical muscles to be strong, so you should develop your mental muscles and decide to stop ruminating on things that you cannot control. Stop thinking about things that happened in the past that you cannot change.
Begin thinking about the God of the Bible, Who has total control, and Who never changes.
If you focus your thoughts on Him and His promises, you will find much of your anxiety will be gone, your emotions will be healthy, and your behavior will be Christlike.
This devotion was written by Pastor James C. Johnson. These devotionals are being published throughout this pandemic in an effort to further strengthen the faith of our NorthStone church family. Feel free to comment below to offer your feedback about today's devotion.
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