Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things.  Philippians 4:8

How often do you play the brainwashing tapes?  You know, the ones that keep you miserable.  While there are likely current and legitimate issues that are cause for concern, how many of your thoughts start with phrases like: “I could have”, “I should have”, “I wish I had”, “How could they” or “What will happen if”?   If you’re like me, the greater question is what tools do you have to stop them, do they work and are they readily used?

Personally, my mind can be a scary place, especially when I have too much time and don’t feel well…those often go together.  If I’m not careful, I start dwelling on all of the negatives.  For example, the state of our nation and the current political scene makes me want to bury my head in the sand.   Then there are the difficult or broken relationships and events in the past that I just want to fix or rewrite for a different outcome.  If my illness is invading my life more than usual, I can obsess about what needs to be done to mitigate the symptoms.  There are also the struggles my wife and children are facing that I would like to remedy but must wait for God to handle.  If those aren’t enough, there is fear of the future and what it holds.  The list goes on, but you get the point.  There are a plethora of issues that the devil can use to distract us and undermine our faith…or at least weaken it to the point that we allow ourselves to be sidelined and our joy and hope to be evaporated.  However, if we work on it, we can accumulate tools to help us avoid the trap.  Today I’m letting you take a look at a few of mine which are, admittedly, most necessary when the body is weak and the mind is active.

One of my first defenses is pictures.  They are always there.  While I was still able to work, two collages of nine pictures each hung in my office.  One was of our family and our parents and the other consisted of pictures of events or activities…things like dancing, skiing, and vacations.  These were pictures taken since my illness invaded.  The purpose was to remind myself that no matter how bad things get, they are not always awful.  There are moments and even periods of time full of enjoyment and blessing.  The pain is still there, but so is the enjoyment.  Having those visual reminders around helps me to take the focus off of the negatives and on to the more positive aspects of life.  Now that my office is in my home, it is full of pictures.  I just checked; there are over 130 pictures to remind me of times and people that have and do bring me joy.  While most fall into the last 58 years, there are a few back to the 1940’s and earlier.  Everywhere I look, there is a reason to dwell on something pleasant.

Music is another help.  If my mind starts drifting to the dark side or my body begins to hurt, I’ll often play music.  I have an eclectic collection from alternative to world genres recorded over the last 80 years or more that can cover just about any issue.  However, the darker the mood, the more I lean to Christian Contemporary to reinforce biblical truth.  If I am totally honest, the more I hurt, the louder the music is played.  My wife can tell how bad I feel by how much the windows are rattling when she pulls in the garage.  On the worst of days, the dog won’t even stay in the house.   Recently, I was feeling off and decided to employ my IPod.  I decided to use a playlist that I had prepared for my father’s funeral, but never actually used.  Do you think that was an odd choice?  So did I, but it “called me”.  I had intended to wallow a bit, but as I listened, I felt my spirits lifting.  When I considered the unexpected result and the irony, I realized that all of the songs reflected hope…hope in our Lord and the blessings expected in eternity.

When able, a change in activity helps or at least moving to a different room or sitting outside.   At times, it takes getting out of the house to reorient myself.  Gardening is good for that and has the added benefit of being in the sunshine and fresh air.

These are all environmental stimuli.  They help us because we are physical beings that react to our surroundings.  They are important and effective, but there are also the spiritual tools of prayer and scripture.  Sadly, I fear that they are easily neglected because they are more active than passive and, therefore, require the intentional use of our minds.  Something that we may not feel up to but is required to maintain our mental and spiritual equilibrium.

Philippians 4 also reminds us to employ prayer.  “Be anxious for nothing, 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 comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:6-7)  Humbly pour your heart out to God.  But note the “with thanksgiving”; we may not always feel thankful, but the act of obedience often leads to a thankful spirit even when times are difficult.  A thankful spirit is always lighter.  Further, consider confessions as well as requests.  I say this because I was convicted of it through a couple of devotions and passages God sent my way this morning.  (One you can overlook one as random; a pattern is hard to explain away.)  You may say “I’m just frustrated” what do I have to confess?”  Consider a few things I had to confess:  trust, is not our fear often founded in a lack of trust that God will handle our situation as we see fit rather than as He deems appropriate; rebellion, are not many of our anxious moments forged by our inability to accept what God has ordained for us; forgiveness, many of the stressors in our relationships often come down to a failure to forgive or at least love as we should; or laziness, not properly maintaining our souls allows us to forget our hope and lose our perspective.  A great conclusion for prayer is Psalm 119:159 “Consider how I love Your precepts; revive me, O Lord, according to Your lovingkindness.”

Also consider scripture which is not only helpful in lifting our spirits, but is also useful in maintaining our spiritual armor.  With its availability in both written and audio form, one can adjust the amount of energy necessary a bit.  When I’m feeling anxious, I often start at Matthew 6 and keep reading until I feel better or am too tired to continue.  There we are reminded: “Do not worry then, saying, ‘What will we eat?’ or ‘What will we drink?’ or ‘What will we wear for clothing?’ For the Gentiles eagerly seek all these things; for your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.”(Matthew 6:31-33)  When life seems unfair, Job is quite helpful.  Specifically, Job 38:1-42:6 speaks to God’s power and our inability to challenge Him.  Psalm 139 (a personal favorite) reminds us that God has a plan for our lives and that He knows us intimately.   He is most certainly not unfamiliar with or disconnected from our circumstances. When I just don’t know what I need, I go from Psalm to Psalm or just read highlighted portions of scripture in the bible that I’ve used since high school until I am calmed.  In the words of David:  “Remember the word to Your servant, in which You have made me hope.  This is my comfort in my affliction, that Your word has revived me.”  (Psalm 119:49-50)

In 1 Peter 5:8 we are warned:  “Be of sober spirit, be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.”  In our weakened state, we are an easy mark.  This requires us to be vigilant and use all of the weapons available in our defense.  That’s our responsibility.  But the good news is that we are not alone.  We have; a Heavenly Father, God Almighty, who loves us and is our Fortress, Tower of Strength, and Deliverer; Christ, the King of Kings who is our Good Shepherd, Redeemer and Advocate; and the Holy Spirit who is our Guide, Teacher and Comforter.   This is my comfort in affliction; let it be yours as well.