Being the Bouncer of Your Brain

Source: theodysseyonline.com

One of the longest-running lessons God has been teaching me in my life of faith is the importance of renewing my mind (see Romans 12:2).

As an introvert, I do most of my life processing on the inside--in the rich world of my inner thoughts and feelings (I lump the two together, because our feelings often have a thought attached to/behind them).

And even though I am in the Word almost every single day, I still struggle to meditate upon and incorporate God's Truth in my thought life.

You see, our minds are just swarming with thoughts all day long, whether we take the time to fully realize that or not.

We are constantly making judgments of ourselves and others.

We are thinking about the future.

We are mulling over the past.

In this information age, we are constantly taking in all kinds of information that is taking up head-space in our minds.

In the face of all this, are we slowing down to analyze if what we are thinking is actually true?

Here are the guidelines the Apostle Paul gave us in the Scriptures to help us evaluate our thoughts:

"Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things."  --Philippians 4:8

So, as faithful believers, we ought to be measuring up our thoughts against this framework: Is what I am thinking about pure?  Lovely? Is it worthy of praise?  Is it true?

If I am fretting about receiving a call from the doctor's office, or feeling anxious about driving through an impending storm, or worrying about navigating a conversation with a family member, I must ask myself: Is any of this actually happening right now? (And if it is not, then it is not true!)  Are these lovely, commendable things to be thinking of?  Certainly not!  Therefore, I ought to divert my thinking to what IS true--what IS actually happening--all those things that ARE lovely about this moment.

I like to visualize my mind like this: a raging party with lots of guests, eating, drinking, dancing, chatting it up, bumping into each other.  Some of these guests have been invited to the party.  Others just heard the music down the street and popped in unannounced and are definitely not invited.  My job, as a Christian with the sound mind of Christ, is to act like the bouncer at the party.  When I bump into a thought (especially one that I don't recognize), I ask that particular thought some questions.

The interview goes something like this:

Whoa, whoa, hold up.

Where did YOU come from? (Because at first glance, they always look A-OK)

Are you from heaven, coming from my heavenly Father, or from the Father of lies, from hell?

Does what you are saying square with what I read from God's Word and believe to be true?

Does what you are saying line up with what the Holy Spirit has been showing me about my sin and the areas in my life that need repentance?  Or are you just spouting off empty accusations?

And when they start stuttering, back-pedaling, checking their pockets for some form of ID, and come up with nothing within a minute or so, I boot.them.out.

(Now, they may come right back in through the back door, so I've had to be diligent to keep them out.  Some days are harder than others.  But the bouncer has got to be there, doing his job, and not taking it for granted that all these party-goers belong!)

Ok, now you might be wondering: That works great as a little thought experiment, but what does this really look like at street-level?

I find that assuming the role of "thought-party bouncer" becomes especially crucial when I meet with criticism--either the insults I hear from my inner critic (we all have them!) or things said by another person, especially by a loving a friend or family member.

Maybe you, like me, have been told (either outright or in so.many.words) that you are disappointment to another person--that you are a "bad" mother, wife, friend, co-worker...you name it.

In the past, I would have walked away from a conversation (or text message) like that SO low you could have scraped me off the street.  I would have immediately internalized the criticism, taken it to heart, and most likely it would have undone me (at least for a day or two!).  That would invariably lead to being crabby and irritable with those closest to me.

Ugh.

But now, knowing what I know about renewing my mind, I have come to understand that I don't have to "own" these thoughts, those accusations, that identity.

Now friend, do not misunderstand me!  Oftentimes, the best of love comes in the form of a rebuke, and so I am not saying that we do not take these things before our Father (see Proverbs 27:5-6).  We most certainly should!  These conversations ought to prompt us to take them directly to the Lord (BEFORE we own them) and ask:

Lord, am I lazy?  Thoughtless? Prideful? Selfish? (Fill-in-the-blank with said criticism/negative thought.) Is what this person saying to me (or about me!) honestly true, and does it need to be dealt with between us?

Then, after prayerfully laying these things at God's feet, we work to listen ONLY to HIM and act upon HIS marching orders (if there are any).

This, my friend, is what I have come to believe is the process that Paul talked about when he spoke about taking captive every thought for Christ:

"We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ, being ready to punish every disobedience, when your obedience is complete."  --2 Corinthians 10:5

In other words, I can stand in this potential space--this gap that exists (if we let it) between the hearing of a negative comment or criticism or thought--and the taking it in and believing it.

So, friend, I'd like to extend the challenge to you, today.

Will you take up this crucial role we have as believers, and be the "bouncer" of your brain?

Will you question all those thoughts that keep rattling around in your mind and find out where (or from whom) they are from?

Will you compare them to the truths of Scripture to see if they square with reality...God's reality?

Oh, what a difference it will make in how we live--in our attitudes, our countenance, our service to others--if we check our thoughts at the door and renew our minds with God's truth!