Take them Captive!

…take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ. 

 2 Corinthians 10:5

Once again I wake up and the pinch of anxiety squeezes me down my spine. I keep wiping off my sweaty palms on my pants… all caused by the panicky thoughts I allow into my mind.

I hear His words, Be Still and Know…know that I AM GOD! (Psalm 46:10)

I know it in my intellect…those words are tattooed in my brain; but somehow, they have yet to make it to my heart.

I want to experience the Gardener of my Soul cultivate and grow His fruits in me. I want to see Him create me anew. I am tired of my old self…I want hope to not go dim with every trial. I want His peace to remain intact with every test. I want my thoughts to lead me to Him not to the pit.

How do I become still? On the road to a test, how do I find peace? How do I let the Living Water wash away my fears while in the waiting room? How do I begin to breathe again while I wait for the phone to ring?

Here is how:

I say His Name until the sound of its every letter lulls my soul to a quiet place.

That’s how I pave the way that leads me to taking every thought captive to Him. Like captives, my thoughts have to be reined in. Left to themselves, left to their own will, they run astray and push me over the edge. I need to realize that my thoughts are mine, and as such, I get to tell them where to go, not the other way around. They are mine, and they are not free…they are my prisoners…and I take possession of them before they run over me and leave me in helpless despair.

Therefore, I fill my mind up with His Word until there is no room left for any other thought…and I give myself permission to get out of the way so the Holy Spirit can work unhindered in my heart every moment of every day.

Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. Psalm 51: 10