by Lee Desmond
(during the Coronavirus/Covid-19 pandemic of 2020)
“…take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.”
2 Corinthians 10:5
- “Social distancing,” “Self-isolating,” Shelter in place”: definitely terms from Year-of-Our-Lord 2020.
- Fear…about Covid-19, our kids, life in general…so many people live in fear, or at least, fear so many aspects of life. But as Christians, we are told in scripture to Fear Not. In fact, it’s in the Bible 366 times…
- So many people I know don’t trust the media, including me. Now suddenly everyone trusts the media. ??
- What do I think about the President?
- Still thinking about our move from CO back to east TX…
- I think about my mother-in-law whenever I make coleslaw. It was her recipe, my family loves it, and it’s definitely a favorite of ours—–as she was. I miss her.
- I wonder what my mom was thinking those last days before she died. Sometimes I feel guilty that I didn’t do more for her during that time.
- I miss our church in Colorado.
- One thing about living in the Denver area…there were so many ways to ‘wash the feet of our city.” Can I do that here?
- The older I get, the more I realize just how little I know about most anything. And I see how much I still have to learn.
- And it drives me CRAZY when my kids seem to think they know everything about human nature and life. OMG!
- What would life look like if we hadn’t moved away from Mississippi so long ago?
- What would life look like if my Dad hadn’t died so suddenly when I was in high school?
- Do I really trust God to guide and direct my life, and do I trust Him during the really tough times? I think I do?
- I love this quote by CS Lewis: “We are not necessarily doubting that God will do the best for us; we are wondering how painful the best will turn out to be.”
- The Colorado Community Church choir was a good experience for me and checked off a bucket list item (or as close as it’ll ever be, I’m sure).
- My friends don’t believe I’m an introvert.
- During this downtime, I want to make calls to friends, write letters, write MORE! Just DO IT!
- Should I feed my dog raw food?
- Should I respond to the Facebook post that upset me today?
- I really like the little Episcopal church we’ve been attending.
- How much commitment do I want to have with old pals from when we lived in this area before?
- What’s next?
- One day at a time…
These are very random thoughts that go through my brain, sometimes daily. And there are others…always others. What to do with all of this?!
I think about some of these often, forget some of them, let some go completely. Maybe I can write about some of them…
Taking Captive Random Thoughts – God will guide you with Truth
Taking your thoughts captive
What does it mean to “take every thought captive”? Here’s the whole verse:
We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up
against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought
to make it obedient to Christ. (NIV)
To take your thoughts captive means to take control over what you think and know that God will guide you with Truth.
- Understand that you can control your thoughts and take responsibility for them. It may not be easy, but scripture commands you to set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. (Colossians 3:2). That means it must be possible for you to choose to take your thoughts captive.
- Think before writing (reacting)—and pray about your thoughts. We often have situations that demand a quick response. But I’ve learned that a knee-jerk reaction often makes whatever the problem is, worse, and then I have to back up and start over with a solution. It’s the same with our writing, whether it be in letters or emails, a book, or social media. If we wait, pray about our words, think about the challenge in a positive light (What can I learn from this situation? What can I do differently if presented with something similar again? How can I transfer my thoughts to paper in a way that blesses others?), then we are beginning to take control and put those thoughts under obedience.
- Philippians 4:8 says to think about “whatever is true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent and praiseworthy”; but if we choose to set our thoughts and minds on the opposites, then we set ourselves up with “arguments and pretensions against the knowledge of God.” We are told to demolish those thoughts!
Taking Captive Random Thoughts – Write Them Down
If you’re anxious or overwhelmed right now, I encourage you to write down your thoughts, pray about them, see where the Lord leads you. I know someone who, when she feels the stresses of life coming on, writes blessings to friends, family, co-workers, service providers—whomever comes to mind. You can do the same. You may not know how to write blessings about what food to give your dog (see list above) … but then again, there may be someone else out there who is thinking the same thing, and you may just have the answer!
Yes, it takes discipline and commitment to take our thoughts captive and bring them into obedience. It takes discipline and commitment to use your random thoughts to bless others. But God has given you everything for life and godliness through Christ, and He promises to guide you through His Spirit and give you peace. He will empower you to take those random thoughts captive—and as you practice, you will be able to train or retrain your thoughts. God will empower you to “think on these things.”
God Bless You,
Lee Desmond,
Managing Director of the RHEMA Publishing House
http://rhemapublishinghouse.com
RHEMA Publishing House can help you through all phases of your writing project. Whether you’re in need of light editing, substantial editing, or layout and design work, or writing coaching, we’re here for you every step of the way.