The following is from “How Long, Lord?”, available on Amazon.
How long must I wrestle with my thoughts and day after day have sorrow in my heart?
How long will my enemy triumph over me?
Psalm 13:2
A ruminating mind can feel like an avalanche.
What begins as one small snowball thought picks up regrets, fears, role-playing, and replays until we suddenly find ourselves overwhelmed by a wall of snow, ice, and debris. David was not just thinking, he was wrestling, an unending battle with his mind that led to unending sorrow.
Ruminating thoughts have left me unsure if I’d ever be free or happy again. The mind is an incredibly powerful tool – capable of captivating and controlling us – and it is no surprise, seeing as we were made in the image of an all-knowing Creator. We foolishly believe we can control our mind with mere will-power, but the mind is a deeply spiritual thing: “For who knows a person’s thoughts except their own spirit within them? In the same way no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God.” (1 Corinthians 2:11)
When fear, rather than the Spirit, shepherds our mind, enemies appear undefeatable. Our imagination latches onto all threats and plays out the scenarios that could destroy us; we settle into a defensive positioning where joy is stifled and there can never be rest. When the Spirit, rather than fear, shepherds our mind, we can discover a peace “which transcends all understanding.” (Philippians 4:7)
The key here is not “stop thinking so much,” but “submit your thoughts to the Spirit, not fear.” We can face the ruminations if we do so knowing we are not alone, that we are – in fact – safe in Him.
Find the week-long devotional here.
