Renewing of the Mind
How often do our feelings attempt to author our reality, our identity, our beliefs?
😞 Feeling rejected attempts to define us as the rejected one.
😞 Feeling lonely attempts to define us as the unwanted one.
😞 Feeling unproductive attempts to define us as the lazy one.
😞 Feeling overwhelmed attempts to define us as the anxious one.
😞 Feeling worried attempts to define us as the fearful one.
How can we move through our emotions in a way that involves the truth of God's Word? One way is to slow down and:
Recognize that we are feeling something. Woah, I’m feeling a type of way—whether it is fearful, saddened, disappointed, discontented, bored, or furious. Recognize it. Acknowledge it. Don’t stuff it. Don’t explode because of it. Pause and recognize—I’m having a feeling.
Express that feeling to the Lord. It may take a second to name the feeling, but turning to the Lord in the midst of it helps. “Father, I’m feeling shaky, nervous, and overwhelmed.” “Lord, I’m feeling alone, abandoned, and forsaken.” “Lord, I’m feeling like this is so unfair, I’m angry and upset!” To tame the emotion, we must name the emotion.
Evaluate the story the feeling is telling. Trace back the feeling to the thought that is fueling it. What narrative is the feeling trying to write about me, about God, about reality? Is my overwhelm trying to convince me I’m incompetent? Is my loneliness trying to convince me I’m unloved and abandoned? Is my fury and frustration trying to convince me there is no justice?
Decide to replace any lies with the truth of God's Word. Is it true that I’m incompetent? Or, does it feel impossible, but with God all things are possible? Do my feelings of being unloved and abandoned mean that I am unloved and abandoned by God? Is it in alignment with scripture that God is not a God of justice?
By digging beyond the surface of feelings and getting to the beliefs we hold, refusing the hold on to lies and replacing the lies with truth, we refuse conformity to the way the world functions and are transformed by lining our beliefs up with the truth of Scripture.
Romans 12:2 says: "Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect."
