Taking Our Thoughts Captive

Robert Collier wrote that any thought that is passed on to the subconscious often enough and convincingly enough is finally accepted.  Put another way, what you say to yourself is what you will believe.  Have you heard someone say, “That’s a self-fulfilling prophecy”?  If you keep telling yourself you can’t succeed, things won’t work out, you can’t change, and then these things will come true.

So the next logical question is how can I control my thoughts?  Glad you asked.  First, we have to understand that our life’s experiences affect our thoughts.  Stored memories and information, whether accurate or inaccurate, modify and influence our current thoughts.  Below is a method you can use to change the stored information that creates those distorted thoughts.

Step One – Identifying the Stored Information

Pick an ordinary day when you don’t have any unique activities planned.  Find a notebook and pen.  Throughout the day, but at least every two hours, stop what you are doing and write in the notebook your thoughts over the last two hours.  Make a note of what you tell yourself about your looks, the work you have been doing, how smart you, your skills, your worth, and your abilities.

Your goal is to document completely your internal dialogue for that day.  Don’t censor your thoughts.  Write down what has flowed through your mind – the good, bad, and even the ugly.  Dump all your thoughts on that piece of paper.  You see, the problem is, how can we manage our thoughts if we don’t know what they are?  Keep this notebook in a private place and yes at the end, you will destroy this notebook.

Step Two – Assess Your Thoughts.

The next day read what you wrote.  Find the common themes and ideas in what you have said.  In the same notebook, write a summary of your thoughts.  Highlight in your summary the negative self-defeating ideas; point out attitudes that are hurtful, as well as the positive themes.

Step Three – Identify the Erroneous Thoughts.

What was the tone of internal dialogue when you summarized it?  Was your tone positive and, upbeat or negative and self-condemning?  Would you describe your self-talk as harsh?  Did you make any optimistic comments?  Go back to your summary and underline your comments that show positive thoughts; circle the comments that show negative thoughts.  Do you have more underlines or circles?

Now, look at your comments as if you were talking to friend.  Would you make these comments to a friend?  Are you supporting yourself or creating a toxic self-condemning thought process.  A good Bible verse to help over-come self-condemnation is “There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.” (Romans 8:1)

Step Four – Change Your Internal Dialogue.

Yes, now is the time to argue with yourself.  Each time you apply this process, just pick a few things to change.  Picture yourself as a surgeon doing a transplant; not an organ transplant but a thought transplant.  You need to cut out the negative self-condemning thoughts and replace them with healthy positive thoughts.  However, just like an organ transplant, we can reject the thought transplant.  You need to support the thought transplant by repeating the positive thought several times, with heart-felt conviction.  Believe the thought transplant.  Find Bible verses to support the thought transplant.  Paul gives us an example of this process in Philippians 4:8,9 “Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, what is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, let your mind dwell on these things.  The things you have learned and received and heard and seen in Me, practice these things.”

Your thought process will stay the same unless you invest work and effort to change.  Before you destroy your notes, write a list of thoughts you want to change and review this list periodically.

“We are taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ.” 2 Corinthians 10:5b

Cheryl Gowin and Dennis Gowin, Hope for Tomorrow Counseling Center.  Contact us with your feedback, comments, issues, or questions at 434-808-2637.