Hello blessed child of God, I hope you’ve had an awesome week and that you’re fine by God’s grace.
Yesterday we talked about putting our thoughts on trial. It was just the first part, and today we’re getting into the second part.
As previously said, not every thought you have comes from God, as such, you have to examine your thoughts and find out whether they meet the Biblical criteria of Philippians 4:8
We gave a few questions yesterday in order to examine a specific thought. Today, we’re entering the court with that thought and we will see what the defense has to say (everything in favour of that thought) and we will use our answers to yesterday’s question to prosecute the thought. Then we’ll judge whether or not this thought deserves to stay in our mind.
1 THESSALONIANS 5:21 NASB
But examine everything carefully; hold fast to that which is good;
PHILIPPIANS 4:8 NASB
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.
Okay.
Back to our case.
Nathalia got her neck burned by acid when she was younger. She is now an adult but she always hides her neck with a scarf. She sees all her friends getting married, and yet has the impression that no one is interested in her. She believes that it’s all because acid burned her neck. She thinks that even if any guy happened to be interested in her, he would be disgusted once he would see her neck. As such, she avoids social settings. Her main depressive thought is “No one will ever love me, all that because my neck has been burned by acid”
You can click here to read more about the questions we used to determine whether that thought was from God or not.
Today, we’re using the elements from yesterday to bring this thought to court.
Now you have to draw a table and to the left you defend the thought. To the right, you prosecute the thought.
Thought: No one will ever love me, all that because my neck has been burned by acid
| Defending The Thought | Prosecuting The Thought |
| People are repulsed by burn scars | There are people I know (my family and close friends) who aren’t shocked or repulsed by my scar. I’m overgeneralizing, and I can’t forecast the future negatively and read people’s minds.
There’s got to be people on Earth just like my family and close friends who won’t be shocked or repulsed by my scar |
| If a man sees the scar on my neck his interest in me may change | Despite the scar my family loves me, and I have lots of female friends who appreciate me. This probably means that someone who really loves me and learns to know me will look past the scar and look at who I really am inside just like my family and friends do. If a man disappears from my life because of that scar, it means he just didn’t really love me |
| People with handicaps and physical malformations have a harder time finding a spouse | In my Bible study group there is a woman who shared about how she met her husband and about the fact that despite her handicap he loves her just the way she is, and that he prioritized the fact that she is a God-fearing woman over everything else.
Nothing is impossible for God and real love isn’t about physical appearance. Also, there are lots of people who are having awesome marriages even after being burned. Being burned by acid doesn’t need to stop someone’s life |
| I remember that one time I went on a date with a guy from church and I had to remove my scarf because it was extremely hot at the restaurant. When he saw my scar, I saw the look on his face. He was disgusted. He never invited me for a second date | This just means he was interested by my physical appearance, not by my character or my relationship with God. Someone who really loves me will look past that.
By the way, by God’s grace I survived that and I drew closer to God. If I get rejected again I’ll still thrive and draw closer to God. God will send a man who will love me for who i am inside and not just for my physical appearance. |
| This thought is not helping me at all. It just makes me feel sad and worried | |
| Indeed that thought was poisonous and didn’t meet the Philippians 4:8 criteria |
At this point, Nathalia reviews this table and clearly realizes that this thought is guilty of inflicting unnecessary misery on her. She has judged this thought to be guilty and she now clearly sees that it’s not from God.
Now that she knows the truth she is free from the power of that thought.
John 8:31-32 NIV
To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, “If you hold to My teaching, you are really My disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”
You can do the same exercise. Continue from where we left yesterday, and draw a table to judge that thought.
More often than not, you’ll realize that the thought concerned is guilty.
Now that you know that this thought is not from God, you have to make up your mind to replace it.
However, thought replacement is not for today. Today, you’re just learning to do the last part of putting your thoughts on trial.
Prayer
Father Lord God Almighty, help me take responsibility for the thoughts that I allow in my mind, in Jesus Christ’s Name. Amen.
It’s Now Your Turn
Finish what you started yesterday and use Nathalia’s example to put your thoughts on trial.
If you have any question about this, please share in the comments section.
Don’t forget to share this blog post on your social media accounts and to invite your friends and family members to join us as we’re waging war against depression. You may save a life by sharing.
If you’ve not done it yet, subscribe to my Newsletter so as not to miss any post on depression and also, make sure to invite anyone whom you know is suffering from depression.
Click here to subscribe to my Newsletter.
Also, please consider sharing this blog post on all your social media accounts.
Invitation
Click here if you’re looking for a church. I recommend Elevation Church to you. A wonderful Christ-centered Church in which you aren’t limited by your location and in which you can see what God can do through you.
If you’ve enjoyed reading this blog post please subscribe to my Newsletter so as not to miss any new post.
Also, please consider sharing this blog post on all your social media accounts.
God bless you
Victoria Eyog
0 Comments