Even on our best days, we can be filled with doubt, shame, and negative thoughts, and often times these negative, false, distorted thoughts directly affect how we approach and treat those around us.
Today’s episode is part 1 of a 2-part series with my good friend & clinical mental health counselor, Hannah Rule where we dive into the importance of understanding the lies we believe about ourselves, how we choose to let those thoughts control us, and what we can do to reframe those thoughts.
Although the terms we discuss are scientific in design they are all backed by biblical theories and we break them down.
The enemy doesn’t want us to be free from these lies and distorted thoughts because they are the things that KEEP us from going and loving others well. They are the things that silence us, cause us to fear & keep us focused on ourselves.
Make sure to tune in to episode 2 as we break down how we take these actions and use them to help us love others well.
Key Words & Thoughts:
Distorted Thoughts
Choice Theory
Reframing Thoughts
Cognitive Triangle
For example, Choice Theory:
We often feel like things have happened to us and there is nothing we can do about it - but that is a lie. We all have distorted thinking - we have a lie that we believe and then we begin acting on that lie. For example. You fail one test, then you start to believe that you are a failure. Then something else happens, let’s say you are asked to help a friend, but you don’t because you believe you're a failure. All of a sudden a small lie that came from an isolated event has now taken over all your thinking and affects all aspects.
Choice Theory with God:
Anxiety has ravished our teens. There are more ways to compare yourself now than ever before. We often feel powerless in these overwhelming emotions. We pray over and over and we feel like our faith is not enough. Child of God, your faith is the “divine power to destroy strongholds.” God has given us counselors, doctors, pastors, and ministers that study and learn how to calm this anxiety that feels uncontrollable. Choice Theory is one of those tools God has given us. Choice Theory helps us look at our thoughts and emotions and the actions that come from those thoughts and emotions, and reminds us that we may not be able to control what others do, but we can control how we react. We can disrupt those thoughts and interrogate them. We can decide to not believe every thought that comes to mind. Our feelings and emotions dictate our decisions, our lives, and what we believe about ourselves if we do not take them captive.
Reframing Thoughts Biblical Backing:
2 Corinthians 10:5 “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.”
Renew Our Minds in Order to Love Others: When our anxious thoughts seemed to have taken over, God reminds us that in order to dig out His will for our lives, we must renew our minds. We must investigate our thoughts and what our emotions are telling us. We must then look to His Word, to Jesus, to discern what is good and acceptable. We understand these ideas better once we accept that Jesus is God’s Son and gave His life as a sacrifice for the debt of our sins. When we accept this as truth, God no longer sees me and my sin. God sees Jesus’ sacrifice instead and grants me LIFE.
Bible Verses for Daily Reminders:
Zachariah 4:10
Matthew 6:11
Romans 12:2
2 Corinthians 10:5
Lamentations 3:22-23
Connect with Hannah:
Instagram: @herule478
Read her work:
