Good morning all. This week I got caught up in a whirlwind of thoughts attributing power (unfounded) to those I would consider my “opponents”. I felt like I was lined up agains a sumo wrestler waiting to crush me. Not my real opponent mind you but my imaginary opponent. The one i created from my thoughts. The longer I thought about it the bigger the sumo wrestler got and the more unsure of myself I became. We all have those who disagree with us, and oppose us for some reason. Maybe it’s
- a mother-in-law who does not like the way we raise our children
- a boss who doesn’t like our work
- a friend who doesn’t like our life choices
- someone who just doesn’t like us
No matter who that person is, they are, in the end, just people. Our minds blow these flesh and blood individuals to higher heights to where they seem to tower over us, like a sumo wrestler. Have you ever had imaginary conversations with these people? In our mind we see the worst that can happen: a blow up, a yelling match, someone’s feelings hurt, an epic battle between good and “evil” etc. So, how do we avoid giving more power, and ultimately leverage, to our “opponents?
1. Re-cast them in a different role We all respond out of who we are. Some respond out of hurt and other out of a healthy soul. When I am dealing with someone who has issue with me, the issue is not the issue. The issue they are really dealing with is much deeper than initially suspected and may have nothing to do with me at all. I cast then in the role of broken and hurting. I cast them as a fellow traveller looking for the same things I am looking for love, respect, and dignity. This makes having a conversation much easier about hard subjects.
2. Pray for them God can do amazing things we cannot do. He can soften hearts, plant a thought, cool a temper, and much more but we have to give him permission to do these things. If the thoughts in our head, these mock conversations keep going on, we can’t be very effective. Say out loud, “This is how it’s going to go…” and then pray for the person and the situation in the affirmative. In this way, we get the thoughts out of our heads and into God’s hands.
3. People are not our opponents The bottom line is that we live in a spiritual world and our thoughts are spiritual constructs that when put together like Lincoln Logs, create strongholds. The keep love in and love out. We become defensive and we start to take the imaginary conversations as through they were real and that the “opponent” we are having them with really is out enemy and they must be defeated. This works for the devil too by the way. I re-cast the devil as scripture presents him, a defeated foe and powerless in my life. he has no power and God has all power.
What would you like to do today with the power of your thoughts?
Give it to your imaginary opponent and make them more powerful over you?
Give the power to yourself and cast your role as the knight in shining armor destroying your enemies in blaze of glory?
Or Would you like to place the power of your thoughts into the hands of The Only One who can do anything about your situation? God is all powerful and where we put our thoughts is where we put our power.
Here’s one of mu favorite scriptures and I hope it helps you no matter the situation you are facing,
“You will keep in perfect peace all who
trust in you, all whose thoughts are fixed
on you!” Isaiah 26:3
Have a great day everyone.