Why Do I DO What I DON'T Want to Do?

Posts Tagged ‘negative’

What does God say about me? It has been probably a year now since someone introduced the idea of what God says about me and my inheritance. In Neil Anderson’s book Victory Over Darkness he listed several things that the Bible says about who we are in Christ.

I am God’s Child (John 1:12)

I am Christ’s friend (John 15:15)

I have been justified (Romans 5:1)

I am united with the Lord (one spirit). (1 Corinthians 6:17)

I am bought with a price; I belong to God (1 Corinthians 6:19-20)

I am a member of Christ’s Body (1 Corinthians 12:27)

I am a saint (Ephesians 1:1)

I have been adopted as God’s child (Ephesians 1:5)

I have access to God thru the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 2:18)

I have been redeemed and forgiven (Colossians 1:14)

I am complete in Christ (Colossians 2:10)

I am forever free from condemnation (Romans 8:1-2)

I am assured all works together for good (Romans 8:28)

I am free from any charge against me. (Romans 8:31-34)

I cannot be separated from the love of God (Romans 8:35-39)

I am established, anointed, sealed by God (2 Corinthians 1:21-22)

I am hidden with Christ in God (Colossians 3:3)

I am confident that the good work God has begun in me will be perfected (Philippians 1:6)

I am a citizen of heaven (Philippians 3:20)

I have not been given a spirit of fear, but of power, love and a sound mind. (2 Timothy 1:7)

I can find grace and mercy in time of need (Hebrews 4:16)

I am born of God; the evil one cannot touch me (1 John 5:18)

I am the salt and light of the earth (Matthew 5:13-14)

I am a branch of the true vine, a channel of His life (John 15: 1, 5)

I have been chosen and appointed to bear fruit (John 15:16)

I am a personal witness of Christ’s (Acts 1:8)

I am God’s temple (1 Corinthians 3:16)

I am a minister of reconciliation for God (2 Corinthians 5:17-21)

I am God’s co-worker (1 Corinthians 3:9)

I am seated with Christ in the heavenly realm (Ephesians 2:6)

I am God’s workmanship (Ephesians 2:10)

I may approach God with freedom and confidence (Ephesians 3:12)

I can do all things thru Christ who strengthens me (Philippians 4:13)
 

Neil Anderson’s suggestion is to read over this list daily or multiple times a day. I have been doing this for almost a year now and I guess that is what brought on this new thought. This thought to put my belief and confidence in what God says about me and letting go of what people with their own personal hang ups have put on me. The truth is whatever your mind focuses on it brings into reality. I just can’t say “I am not fat, I am not fat, I am not fat” like Dorothy in the Wizard of Oz and wish my way home. But what I can do is begin to counter attack the negative thoughts that have developed oak tree like roots in my mind. Today I tell myself God is bringing my weight into His plan for me. It is no longer about being fat or thin but about my body being a temple. It makes me realize the significance of Philippians 4:8 Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable-if anything is excellent or praiseworthy-think about such things.

 

I used to think that is what He wanted me to do about other people and situations but now I realize He means for me to think/meditate on those things about myself as well. All that thinking/meditating on negatives in my life has just left me depressed, anxious and hopeless. I finally started to understand that if I have that negative undercurrent about me, I can’t have a different undercurrent about my brother or neighbor. I can’t lie to myself and say I am not fat or that I am a multi-millionaire or some other name it claim it type thing. But I can say “God is brining my weight into His plan for me. I have financial abundance according to God’s plan. God is working all things for good according to His purpose.” I can talk back to the negative thoughts with a scriptural truth.

 

This is a slow process by the way. It has taken years of negative thinking and false beliefs to get you to the place that you are. It will take a while to wash your brain with new thoughts and beliefs to get you to where God has promised.

 

I will close with Proverbs 4:23 Above all else, guard your heart (of your mind), for it is the wellspring of life.

 

So what are you thinking or meditating on about yourself and/or others today?

I was reading a posting forwarded to me this morning from Seth Godin’s blog called The Problem with Positive Thinking.  In the post he writes “Key question then: why do smart people engage in negative thinking? Are they actually stupid?

The reason, I think, is that negative thinking feels good. In its own way, we believe that negative thinking works. Negative thinking feels realistic, or soothes our pain, or eases our embarrassment. Negative thinking protects us and lowers expectations.”

I found his comments so interesting.  I have struggled in my life with having that attitude of gratitude, always being positive, seeing the glass half full instead of half empty, etc., etc.  This is a great place for Christians to really beat themselves up and experience guilt and shame.  We need more of that you know!  KIDDING!

It hit me that I have felt that if I didn’t honor my pain I was somehow stuffing it or living in denial.  It hit me this morning that it was a lie.  Along with the 52 million other lies that I have lived off of this is yet another one.  Growing up in a chaotic alcoholic family where no one is talking about the white elephant in the middle of the living room I moved to a place of recovery where people “got it” and listened.  They validated my “truth”.  But it so often I see people get stuck right here.  The negative feelings, emotions, thoughts, etc that they grew up become so familiar that they in themselves become a somewhat of an addiction, a familiar place to take your pain.  At some point in every recovery there has to be a shift at where you give yourself permission to have fun, be happy, etc.  I have watched people in recovery spend years wearing mourning clothes for a lost childhood, adolescence, your adulthood, etc.  That in some way that is honoring the past person that grew up in that alcoholic home or became an alcoholic themselves and endured the abuse of that environment. 

So my challenge for the days is what would happen if instead of looking at the harshness in each situation you saw the joy?  What if in each situation instead of looking at the bad, you focused on the good?  What would happen?  Would that really mean denial?  Would that really mean you weren’t seeing the truth? 

Truth is so evasive.  Truth has multiple sides and what I have learned is that what I see or hear and especially feel is not always the whole truth.  I never know what God is working on for my good at any single moment.  When you get to your mid-40’s the thing you realize is that in your life things that you thought were the most incredible opportunity have turned out to be nightmares and the things that you thought were the end of the world have turned out to be incredible blessings. 

So just for today I challenge you to choose positive in all situations.  Just for today honor that childhood lost, that teenager lost, that young adult lost with positive energy/thought.  Just for today focus on the word of God in Romans 8:28 “We are assured and know that [God being a partner in their labor] all things work together and are [fitting into a plan] for good to and for those who love God and are called according to [His] design and purpose.” 

Today choose to honor God’s truth, God’s word rather than your pain and your interpretation of the truth/reality.  God works off a different playing field than the world.  Just for today choose to believe what He says about you rather than what you think or feel about you!

Blessings ~

Tammy Hardin, Relapse Prevention Specialist and Life Coach