REFLECTIONS ON "INSIDE CHATTER"

"We engage in inside chatter when we hyper-analyze a conversation after the fact. How a women thinks is often how she lives." Lysa Terkeurst

Philippians 4:6-9 says this "Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God, and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.  Finally, brothers (sisters), 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.  What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me - practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you."

What specifically does this passage give us that can help with negative "inside chatter." i.e. our toxic thoughts that leave no room for truth to flourish.

Specifically, the first thing this passage can give to us is that we have a place to take our requests.  Two words that stand out to me are "anything" and "everything."  This is what we are supposed to "make known to God."  How does this help with negative "inside chatter"?  It means that "anything" and "everything" that's inside us is emptied out, poured out to God.

Once our "anything" and "everything" is poured out of us to God, we are told what our "inside chatter" should be:  things that are true, honorable, just, pure, lovely, commendable, excellent and praiseworthy.

Looking further in these verses, we see we are told to "practice" these things.  This is what helps our "inside chatter."  What comes when we practice these things?  What was mentioned at the beginning - "the peace of God."  This is what will be with us and will help dissipate our "inside chatter."

Thinking on truth wraps our minds in a peace that rises above our circumstances.

CHANGING OUR THOUGHT PATTERNS

"We will not develop new responses until we develop new thoughts.  New thoughts come from new perspectives."  

Good thought!  But how do we develop these new thoughts, new perspectives?

The foundation of scripture teaches that it is possible to be completely changed through transformed thought patterns - Romans 12:2 says, "Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.  Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is - His good, pleasing and perfect will."

Scripture also teaches that we can accept or refuse thoughts.  Instead of being held hostage by old patterns, we can actually capture our thoughts and allow the power of Christ's truth to change them:

Second Corinthians 10:5 reminds us that "we demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against what we know to be true about the knowledge of God and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ."  So, our thoughts can set themselves up so to speak to be against God's truth - to let fear rule instead of faith.  It's important to know that we can train ourselves to think differently by accepting or refusing thoughts.

We cannot control the things that happen to us each day, but we can control how we think about them. We can ask God for a better perspective. We can face things that are out of our control and not act out of control.

Lysa Terkeurst writes this "if we know that there is potential good hidden within each chaotic situation, we can loosen our grip on control.  It's easier to loosen our grip when we see the good.  When we can't immediately see the good, loosening our grip becomes a matter of trust."

Joshua had to deal with something out of his control without losing control when facing the impenetrable walls of Jericho.  The walls were formidable.  Joshua had to announce a plan to the people that made absolutely no sense to a seasoned warrior like himself, but he followed the plan of a warrior who was mightier than himself and who had everything under His control.

We cannot always fix our circumstances, but we can fix our minds on God who has control over the circumstances.