Science estimates that we have about 60,000 thoughts per day. Around 95% are repetitive and an estimated 75% are negative https://insights.peak-dynamics.net/post/102ia4i/the-impact-of-45-000-negative-thoughts. The mind and what we think contribute to depression, anxiety, and stress which can lead to physical ailments and a decline in our overall satisfaction and peace in life.
There was a time in my life where I meditated on everything that came into my head. One day, I was watching a Joyce Meyer program and she said, “You don’t have to think every thought that comes into your mind.” This changed my perspective on how I had the power to control my thoughts and change the pathway of my life.
Meditation and Thinking
The world has made it seem as though meditation and thinking are separate from one another. According to Merriam-Webster, they share similar definitions.
The term “meditation” means to focus one’s thoughts on something or to reflect or ponder https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/meditate. Similarly, the term “think” means to reflect on or ponder as well as to center one’s thoughts https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/think.
Dividing the two experiences prevents the understanding that we meditate throughout the day within our thoughts. A meditative practice is intentional thinking while our daily lives include unintentional thinking.
Intentional and Unintentional Thinking
In an intentional thinking practice, we pay attention to what it is that is coming into our minds or we choose what we will meditate upon. We may focus our attention on what we want to achieve in life or something positive. Oftentimes, this meditative practice is guided by a teacher, in a setting that allows for the student to close their eyes and focus in on the teacher’s voice. In addition to this environment, the thought process is constantly interrupted by the teacher in an effort to provide keywords and direction in what to think on. This interruption assists in the disintegration of the negative thought population and the introduction of the positive thinking skill. Contrary to this type of intentional thinking is the unintentional thinking that we flow with in our daily lives.
I believe that unintentional thinking is presented to us by negative forces. These forces want us to lose our peace and live in traumatic moments from our childhood, past relationships, or another type of intrusive thought pattern with an obstructive lived or unlived experience. Ephesians 6:12 states:
For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.
This scripture highlights the important reference that I want to make in that we don’t live in this universe alone but rather with spiritual forces of both good and bad influence. The forces that we struggle with the most are those that coincide with the negative elements of our nature and desire to cause the most harm to our existence beginning with the mind.
These forces present us with an opportunity to deeply ponder a past, present, or future event with the worst possible outcome and at times, these meditative habits begin to shape our behavior, mood, and relationships. I too had fallen victim to this type of unintentional thinking until I discovered that it is not the negative forces that have the power, but the God within me.
Now that we understand that meditation and thinking are one in the same, let’s move forward to discover how to control our thoughts.
How to Control Your Thoughts
When you begin to understand that you hold the power to your own mind then you can embark on the journey of controlling your thoughts. The mind is incredibly powerful and I like to think of it as a being that you have the power to control and if you don’t, then it will have the power to control you.
By understanding that you are stronger than your mind, you can use it as a tool to lead you into whatever positive direction that you choose.
The first step is to recognize that you have the power. If you have been reading my weekly posts, then you will understand that I am a strong believer in the power of God, Jesus, and The Holy Spirit. 1 John 4:4 reads:
Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is He that is in you, than he that is in the world.
In my opinion, you are your soul and your soul comes from God, and God guides the mind, heart and soul. By acknowledging the power of the God that resides within you, you can accept the power that He brings and the strength to understand that you have the potency to change the course of negative attempts to infiltrate your mind.
The second step is to become more and more intentional about the type of thoughts that come into your mind and how they make you feel. Some thoughts may make you feel bad because you truly did commit an offense, but as stated previously, 75% of thoughts are negative. So negative in fact, that they have created the term Intrusive Thoughts to categorize them. These thoughts are what we discussed earlier. The type that bring up old traumas, obstructive lived and unlived experiences in an attempt to steal your day’s peace from you.
When unwelcomed intrusive thoughts attempt to invade your mind, you must fight back and denounce them. You can either verbally rebuke the thought if you are in private, or if in public, you can mentally reject the thought from taking up meditative space. This classification of mental warfare can seem taxing in the beginning, but as they say, practice teaches skill.
The third step in controlling your thoughts is to meditate on gratitude. Think on the things in your life that you are the most grateful for. If you are having a hard time with this, look at your body and it’s abilities. Consider your family, your career, the earth, the food you have, the country or city you live in, and your special gifts. Eventually, more blessings that you can recognize will become evident. Each day you make it a point to practice grateful mediation the Son will give it’s light to you.
Romans 12:2
Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.
With Love,
Mother Ocia