We Choose What To Dwell On

Yesterday morning I opened my email to find yet another venue added to our schedule for our trip to Africa. My first reaction was excitement. That was soon followed by a feeling of complete humility that God would entrust my team and I with so much responsibility and with speaking into the lives of so many woman.
In less than an hour I was driving to the gym and my reactions changed once again. This time I was filled with fear: fear of failing both God and the women we are to speak to. I was also filled with fear of failing the women who had invited me to come minister to them. Then fear of falling into sin and living a life so utterly unworthy (even more so than now!) flooded my thoughts. Tears began to flow down my face and they would not stop.
My intended workout did not happen and as my workout partner just sought to encourage me to remember that these thoughts were not from God but from Satan.
The rest of the day was filled with fear and sadness.
This morning, I awoke with the inaudible voice of God reminding me once again that my reaction to every event and emotion is a choice. He brought 2 Corinthians 10:4-5 to mind, “The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.”
Today, my goal was to take make every thought obedient to Christ! He took away the fear and replaced it with excitement and joy. We cannot help the thought that go in and out of our minds but we can choose what thoughts we will dwell on. Yesterday, I made bad choices, those that Satan was pleased with.
What about you? Are you allowing negative thoughts to make their home in your heart and mind, or are you making them obedient to Christ. It is a choice. It is not always an easy choice but one we have to make every day. But we fight with weapons that are not of this world and we do have to power to demolish strongholds!!!
On Your Heart Tuesday link is open. Please link and take a moment to read at least one post.