Do you ever feel like your mind is cluttered with random thoughts — distracting, unfocused, bouncing around like a Bingo ball? Looking back, that’s exactly how I would have described my mind as a young adult. I often struggled to stay focused on what was right in front of me.
I’ve written before about how my mind used to feel like a busy intersection with no traffic signs — thoughts flying in every direction like a pinball. My thought-life frequently felt out of control. This was all before I was a Christian — before I had given my life to Jesus, and before I had ever opened a Bible. I thought everyone’s mind was plagued with racing thoughts. I believed it was impossible to control what ran through my imagination. I assumed I was simply the victim of my own mind, forced to think about whatever popped into it.
One of the greatest discoveries in my new life in Jesus was learning that none of that was true. God didn’t create me to be a victim of my mind. The Bible taught me that God created me to be the sheriff and superintendent of my thoughts — not their servant.
I can still hear my Pastor’s words, which have now become my own:
“Your mind belongs to you. God gave it to you as a blessing — to learn, to think, to understand the secrets of His Kingdom and the beauty of His creation. He gave you a mind and imagination so you could use them for His purposes — to bless your life and the lives of others. The Holy Spirit, living within you, was given to teach, instruct, and guide your thinking. His plan is to grow you up, mature you, and help you become an ambassador of God’s love and influence in this world. And He has given you a sound mind to guard it all.”
When I first heard 2 Corinthians 10:5 preached, it rocked me to my core:
“…casting down imaginations and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God…”
That one verse woke me up.
I suddenly realized I had been given an assignment:
To control and police my thought-life.
And then came the second half:
“…bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ.”
This was revolutionary to me.
It meant that random, crazy thoughts were not supposed to be my norm!
Over the next two years, I experienced one of the most dramatic transformations of my life. With the help of the Holy Spirit, I learned to take control of my thoughts — and it changed everything. God’s Word made it clear that through Jesus, we have the authority and power to do so. It remains one of the greatest revelations of the Christian life I have ever experienced.
Every person occasionally experiences a random, inappropriate thought. Before Christ, we assumed that was inevitable. But the truth is, God’s Word tells us we are the sheriff and superintendent of our own mind. We are to cast down anything that contradicts God’s will — whether it be worry, fear, anger, lust, unforgiveness, or hurt.
Over time, I learned to immediately cast those thoughts down in Jesus’ name.
My thought-life went from random and chaotic to purposeful and disciplined.
My mind became strong, focused, intentional, and guarded.
I think of my mind now as a fortress — one I protect so my heart and motives can stay pure before God. That is a radical change to walk out in the Christian life — and a wonderful one. It is one of the first things that makes you truly feel like “a new creation in Christ.”
So let me ask you…
How’s your thought-life?
If it’s anything less than under your control, then it’s time to take control. It will radically transform your entire life for the good and glory of God.
Romans 12:2 (NLT) —
“Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will know what God wants you to do, and you will know how good and pleasing and perfect His will really is.”
