In the quiet, we have had time to think. It may have been a little bit too much time, because we are starting to spin.
What’s spinning? It looks a little bit like this:
I got a text that one of my high school friends had posted my senior picture on their Instagram and read what I had written on the back. It was pretty standard, so I said it didn’t bother me, but my friend’s response was weird. Why did they care so much?
On a Zoom call, a friend of mine used some tone with me that I felt like I didn’t deserve. It was dangling out there in my mind. I could easily take the bait on that one.
A family member who had seen my kids outside without me told my second grader that they would pick them up if they ever drank too much in high school, and my child felt like they couldn’t call me…
Okay. Stop.
We have to stop the spiral of thoughts. But how?
Jennie Allen wrote a great book called that will teach you how. It’s called, “Get Out Of Your Head.” Here is the basic process she will teach you to use – and it works!
- What is the thought?
- Is it true?
- What does God say about it?
- Am I going to believe God?
So in the talking mean…how would that work?
- What is the thought?
- She shouldn’t talk to me like that, and it’s making me build walls between us.
- Is what is spinning in my mind true?
- Yes.
- What does God say about it?
- She is God’s child.
- Am I going to believe God?
- Yes, I am going to choose grace and talk with her about it graciously, like I would want someone to speak with me.
Here is another example
- What is the thought?
- I don’t like homeschooling.
- Is what is spinning in my mind true?
- Yes and No. I don’t like who I turn into when I can’t get my kids to do what I think needs to get done.
- What does God say about it?
- My grace is sufficient for you. My power works best in your weakness.
- Am I going to believe God?
- Yes, I’m going to lean in and rely on Him because it doesn’t really matter if I love it or not. It needs to get done, and He can supply me with the grace to do that.
Those four questions allow me to address a situation in my mind and choose what and who I am going to believe. This process stops my spiral. It allows me to consider what is happening in my mind and guides me to choosing better. Rather than allowing thoughts to spin, it gives me a method to reconcile the situation and allows me to move on.
I hope we are getting towards the end of this quarantine time. Let’s exit it as healthy as possible. This book may help you to do just that.
HLLF,
