Today was my seventh round of chemo. Everything went well and we were done in just six hours. Everyone at Parkview has been so caring and professional. I am very happy with everything and feel very blessed to be getting my treatments there.
Despite the upbeat tone of my blog and other messages I send out, there are times when I deal with negative thoughts and doubts. I’ve learned to manage these and I want to share what is working for me.
It is essential (foundational) that I spend time in God’s Word and in prayer. It is also important to me to meditate on God’s greatness. Focusing on just how mighty, powerful, loving and concerned God is, keeps all my problems in their proper perspective. He is mighty and powerful and my cancer is small and weak in comparison.
There are still those times, however when negative thoughts creep into my mind, despite my belief that God will heal me. I refuse to dwell on the negative thoughts. As my pastor back in Ellicott City, Maryland used to say, “You can’t stop the birds from flying over your head, but you can keep them from building a nest in your hair”. We absolutely can control what we think about. Sometimes I choose to just get busy with other things and the negative thoughts pass. Other times however, they linger. If I continue to struggle with negative thoughts, I start worshipping God. I go back to my foundational beliefs. I refuse to dwell on the unknowns in my current situation. I remind myself of how faithful God has been thus far. He even provided a house for us to live in before we even knew we needed one. When I remember His faithfulness in the past, I know my future is secure in Him, even though I can’t figure it out. To be honest, this is hard, because I like to figure things out.
I choose to rest in the confidence that He will be just as faithful in providing for us in the future as He has been in the past.
What about you? How do you handle negative thoughts?
Hey Bill. It is hard to imagine what the world does to combat negative thoughts. They have their motivational speakers, their self-help books, their medications, and such. I am not saying these are bad or don't have some affect and provide useful benefits, but they are not lasting. For we who are Christians, or Hopers as Francis Chan said tonight in a YouTube video we watched, we have something that is lasting. To have the Word of God to bring to battle against any negative thought is an immeasurable resource. I cannot imagine not having the knowledge that I can say with power "get thee behind me Satan" or to know and understand "how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge." It is on God's promises that I know "perfect love drives out fear." When we understand his grace, when we know what our tomorrow ultimately brings, when we know we are not of this world, when “I know that my redeemer lives, and that in the end he will stand on the earth. And after my skin has been destroyed, yet in my flesh I will see God,” what does negativity have to do but flee. You are correct with your bird analogy and not letting things take root in your thoughts. And as Jesus did in his desert experience countering all attacks by the devil with the Word of God, so we too can counter all negative thoughts with the truths we hold so dear and know that we can “be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might.”
ReplyDeleteI am so thankful, Bill, that you have walked with the Lord your whole life and what I am writing here is nothing new to you. And since we are his body, and if God will allow, I will be the left foot and you be the right and we will walk through this together. Though we are far apart, we are near, for all our prayers reach his throne … a place where time and distance has no meaning. We love you and hope … no, we know … we will see you again soon. George
Thanks George for sharing. Sometimes we talk about faith and sometimes we get to walk in it. I enjoyed our time together and am looking forward to the next visit.
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