5 Strategies to Win the Battle of the Mind
by Hope Cross
My mind has always been extremely active.
From the very moment I wake up, until I fall asleep, and then even in my dreams, my mind is constantly thinking and creating. I’ve been like this for as long as I can remember … and now that I am thinking about it, this may be the very reason I always got in trouble in First Grade.
My active brain is my normal … it’s what makes me who I am. In fact, while it has gotten me into a good amount of trouble over my lifetime, it has also been the asset that has helped me the most as I flourished into a writer and creator in my professional life. I definitely wouldn’t trade my buzzing brain for another; however, I do have to take some precautions to help me keep my extremely active thoughts from taking me to places I don’t want to go and shouldn’t be.
You see, I believe that with every skillset we are equipped with, there is a productive as well as a destructive way to use it. If I’m not careful, the creativity within my thoughts can take me down a dark and depressive road just as quickly as it can take me down a happy and imaginative road.
This is where being self-aware and knowing how to get myself back on track comes in handy. There are five scriptures I often turn to that help me in times when I become aware my mind is headed in an unproductive and possibly harmful direction.
If you are anything like me, I believe these scriptures will help you in the moments in life your brain needs an important adjustment.
Do Not Lean on Your Own Understanding
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding.” Proverbs 3:5
It’s easy to think you have a grasp on understanding a situation. Especially if you are someone who is self-aware, has good discernment, and usually finds yourself spot on in life. However, no matter how in tune with your mind, the situation at hand, or your environment you are, there are just times your understanding falls short of being able to fully grasp all things at play. Especially when you are seeing through physical eyes of understanding, but God is doing something on a much higher, Supernatural level. This is where the next scripture is helpful.
His Ways Surpass Our Ways
“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.” Isaiah 55:8-9
Although we may have done everything in our power to know and understand a situation, this scripture lets us know that our thoughts and our ways aren’t always in sync with God’s ways and God’s thoughts. In fact, the scripture draws a pretty large comparison between His thoughts and our thoughts – stating that they are as far apart as Heaven and Earth. There are times we are thinking as high as we can on a natural level, but even at the highest level of thought we can conjure up, it comes nowhere near reaching the heights of the heavens. God knows what He is doing and while we are busy thinking about the here and now, He is thinking on a Heavenly level … an eternal level. This is one reason we can’t lean on our mere flesh to understand all that is taking place in the situations we are walking through.
It's here where we might ask ourselves what we do next. If our thoughts can’t compare to the thoughts of God, what are we to do in times we don’t understand what is happening or know the next step? The next few scriptures will help us here.
Keep Your Mind on Him
“You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you.” Isaiah 26:3
This is where faith and trust come in. Once we realize we can’t lean on our own understanding and that His ways are far above our ways, we MUST ensure we are placing our trust in Him. Once we’ve done all we can humanly do, we have to either place our trust in Him and have faith He is working all things together for our good, or we will be overcome with stress, anxiety, and powerlessness. He tells us that when our mind is stayed on Him, we will have perfect peace.
So, how do we move our overactive minds to a place where it can rest in Him? Keep reading.
Be Intentional Where Your Set Your Mind
“Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth.” Colossians 3:2
If we keep our focus stuck on the problems at hand and don’t ever intentionally shift our thinking to God and God’s greater plan for our lives, we will find ourselves going in a frustrating and depressing circle. It may even be when we find ourselves losing all hope that there is even “a solution” to the situation we are in.
That’s not a place you want to be. It’s deep. It’s dark. It’s hopeless. It’s a pit of true despair. It’s exactly where the enemy of your soul wants you to be. For that reason, it’s exactly where you should fight not to land.
That takes us to our final scripture of this writing … although there are countless scriptures in God’s Word to keep us out of this place, or to help us out of this place if it is where we have wandered.
Winning the Battle of the Mind
“Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.” Philippians 4:8
It’s critical in the moments you find your mind wandering further from where it needs to be, to quickly realign your thinking. Usually in these moments I find it helpful to simply begin to think of every tiny thing I am thankful for. Sometimes it’s as basic as a roof over my head, food to eat, waking up in the morning, having sight to see. I’ve even gotten so desperate to get my mind in the right place that I found myself thanking God for water and toothpaste to brush my teeth.
I know, that may sound comical to you, but it works for me. It really does. And, if I make myself do this long enough, I can physically feel the heavy feelings of darkness and despair leaving me and the feeling of thankfulness and joy coming in their place. Try it! Your mind is a powerful thing that your Creator gave you – but He also gave you free will by which to steer it.
As I write these words, and as you read them, I am fully aware each of us are fighting different battles. Some may be fighting heavier battles than others. But one thing is fore sure, if it’s your battle, it feels heavy to you and you are the only one who can control the outcome – be it victory or defeat.
I pray these scriptures help you find a place of overcoming today … a place of victory … because you were not intended to build a home in the wilderness of this battle when God has a Promised Land waiting for you.