I don’t know about you, but sometimes, the mean girl in my head speaks loudly. It tells me lies that bring up the biggest fears I have about myself, and I have to fight to take those lies, these thoughts, captive. I have to conquer them with strong truths. If I can stop the lies, they no longer consume me, and there in the truth is where I can learn to be free.
In the bible, Paul talks about this same thing. Maybe not precisely an internal “mean girl” conversation, but the idea that our negative thoughts are very real, and if you allow them to take root, they become controlling. Therefore, we need to be on guard. On guard about the lies that can begin to permeate our identity and transform them into truths that can make all the difference in how we live.
Paul says, “We take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.”
There are a few words in that verse that are powerful action words and suggest that capturing those thoughts does not happen automatically. It’s not as easy as just saying, “Just think happy thoughts.”
The powerful action words of “take captive” and “make obedient” are fighting words. They give power to you and me in determining where our thoughts should land. They pivot our thoughts from hurting, cynical lies to words of power that come from the mind of Christ.
When I was in college, I started to take control of the negativity in my mind. Each time a negative thought came up, I would verbally say it out loud or literally write it down. That sounds weird, but this process got the noise out of my head, and I could deal with it. The next step was to look and see what God said about it. The last step was to acknowledge the lie and accept the truth of what God says. This gradually started a process for me of replacing negative thoughts with God’s truth.
I don’t know what you are going through, but I have learned that almost everyone has an inner mean girl. Don’t let her win. Beat her with truth, God’s truth. To make this simple for all of us, I included my favorite personal truths from God below.
Write them on your mirror, or put them on a sticky note. I am cheering you on! Capture your negative thoughts and replace with God’s truth about you:
I am a child of God. (Galatians 3:26)
I am unashamed. (Romans 8:1)
I am a masterpiece. (Ephesians 2:10)
I am chosen. (Ephesians 1:4)
I am a child of God. (John 1:12-13)
I am joyful. (Galatians 5:22-23)
I am self-controlled. (Galatians 5:22-23)
I am known—even before I was born. (Jeremiah 1:5)
I am steady. (Psalm 91:1)
I am loved. (John 3:16)
I am free. (John 8:32)
I am healed. (1 Peter 2:24)
I am strong. (1 John 2:14)
I am fearless. (Isaiah 43:5)
I am secure. (John 10:28-29)
I am a new creation. (2 Corinthians 5:17)
I am not shaken. (Psalm 62:6)
I am more than a conqueror. (Romans 8:37)
