The Fight That Christians Need to Start Choosing
I am constantly hearing and reading about things Christians need to start being more vocal about or things they need to start standing up for, some of which I agree with and others I don’t. But I do have a fight that I firmly believe more Christians need to start taking on. Let’s get into it…
The past few weeks, I have been struggling. I have felt overwhelmed with worry about some things that I have recently experienced. There have been times that I have felt short of breath and flushed as I recall the things that have occurred.
I have felt attacked in my mind.
I have become obsessed with thinking about things that make me feel embarrassed and ashamed.
Now, if you know me, I am a huge advocate of reaching out to people that I walk with and sharing my struggles. I believe that this helps bring clarity and healing. However, I did that and I still felt the pull to entertain the thoughts and feelings that came.
The best way I can describe the experience is that it felt like a magnet. It felt like a magnet that was pulling me in. Not that I couldn’t fight it, but that if I wasn’t fighting the pull, I would be sucked in by it.
I would find myself in a moment of living life and before I knew it, I was fully engaged by the thoughts that had been drawing me in for days.
Sometimes, I wouldn’t realize I had been sucked in by it until I already felt like I was drowning.
I would have to work back through my truths and sometimes reach out again for support. It has been exhausting. Even now, I am having waves of these moments. Although, I do think they have improved, thankfully!
I want to share this experience because since this started a couple of weeks ago, I have had multiple conversations with people who have described similar situations. Not necessarily about the same topic but feeling drawn into a thought or behavior that they know isn’t true or good. They don’t want to do it and they don’t want to think it… but… they feel compelled to do it.
After talking to them about it and after the last few weeks that I have had, I realized that this is more common than even I had realized. Not just in these big stressful experiences, but in the small moments in our life too.
Every single day, it is so easy to get sucked into thought patterns that are not what God has called us to.
For instance, in the last few weeks, I have felt…
Obsessed with feeling ashamed and embarrassed for doing something even though I felt confident that God had asked me to do it.
Stressed that there “wasn’t enough time” even though, I firmly believe there is enough time to do the things God wants me to do.
Angry with my husband basically because we were busy, and I made some stuff up in my head.
Annoyed with someone in my life because they are choosing to live differently than I think they should even though I believe each of us should have the right to create the life we choose.
Rejected even though I am very blessed with friends and family and I know that I am loved and wanted.
You see, my feelings and my mind can take me places very quickly. I can quickly become pulled in by these thoughts, fears, and beliefs.
I must fight the thoughts that want to pull me in and distract me from God’s truth.
This is a fight I must pick, and this is a fight every Christian should be picking as well.
Our thoughts and our feelings should not always be trusted. This is why we must know God’s truth and know his call on our life. We should have a mind of peace, a life of love so that we can constantly be renewed in our minds and find the freedom He has for us!
If you want to listen to more, listen to this week’s podcast!