“For though we walk in the flesh, we are not waging war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds. We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ,”
Pain. You might have just finished going through with it or you might be currently struggling to deal with it. Maybe you’re someone who’s having troubles with family relationships and at some point, you’re hurt by what they’ve said or did to you. Maybe you recently lost your job or business and you can’t help but feel that pain of losing. Maybe you’ve recently ended a relationship and it just hurt so much for you to take in. Perhaps, you’ve been disappointed, ‘coz something didn’t go your way, or you’ve been hurt by situations beyond your control. You may be deeply hurt but you don’t have to be held back by it.
When we walk through the pains of life, it is vital to refuse allowing our circumstances to contaminate our minds. I’d agree that it could be tempting to dwell on the negative things that happened to us, to stay in that hurt and disappointment. But, if we do not want to be held back by the pain, we must purify our minds, thoughts, hearts, words and actions. Easy to say but hard to accomplish? Let me share quick ideas that I hope would help you.
The true battle
Recognize that we are not fighting a battle of flesh and blood (2 Cor 10:3). We are in a spiritual warfare and we do not rely on human ingenuity or manmade plans to bring the victory. Thus, we must use the weapons found in the Word of God to defeat the enemy that comes against us. Take some time to sit down, examine the Scriptures, write what you know to be true about God and reflect on how these can help you at your current situation.
Take every thought captive
And as what verse 5 says, learn to take every thought captive and check whether it is from God. Ask yourself, “Is this a thought that lines up with God’s Word? Is this something I should allow myself to think?” Philippians 4:8 gives us the standard for the thoughts we should only allow our minds. Any thought outside this parameter must be removed quickly and replace with one that does.
The process takes effort, involves discipline and dependence to God. Do not be held back by the pain but rather take that huge step in healing that starts by clinging to God’s Word.
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Razel Anne Angat
6/16/2021