Disciplines of the Mind --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Destructive Thoughts: [outward:] - anger - judgementalism - criticism - ill-will/hatred - negativity [inward, from outward causes:] - hurt - pain - loneliness - offense - disappointment - dissatisfaction [wrong desires:] - greed - envy - jealousy - coveteousness - craving - lust [self:] - selfishness - pride - selfish ambition - worry - fear - doubt [7 deadly sins:] - Lust - Gluttony - Greed - Sloth - Wrath - Envy - Pride -> Can you think of other destructive thought patterns? --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Disciplines: - scripture reading and memorization - prayer turn the thought into a prayer (for your enemy, or ...) - songs -- praise and worship - meditation repeating a phrase or prayer or song thinking something through thoroughly filling your mind "sunshine, soil, water for a plant" - hmmm, I forget about this one... - thankfulness - positive thoughts - 10 good things (particularly about a person with which you would rather be negative) - talking things out with a good friend/family - restoring perspective -- being honest with yourself, reviewing the facts - something constructive (work, vacation, weekend plans, etc) (every good and perfect gift is from the father above -- Hebrews) -> Can you think of other disciplines or practices for overcoming destructive thought patterns? -> What are some examples of these in your life? -> What is meditation? --------------------------------------------------------------------------- A case study: Psalm 73 - a psalm of Asaph. -------- 1 Surely God is good to Israel, to those who are pure in heart. 2 But as for me, my feet had almost slipped; I had nearly lost my foothold. 3 For I envied the arrogant when I saw the prosperity of the wicked. 4 They have no struggles; their bodies are healthy and strong. 5 They are free from the burdens common to man; they are not plagued by human ills. 6 Therefore pride is their necklace; they clothe themselves with violence. 7 From their callous hearts comes iniquity the evil conceits of their minds know no limits. 8 They scoff, and speak with malice; in their arrogance they threaten oppression. 9 Their mouths lay claim to heaven, and their tongues take possession of the earth. 10 Therefore their people turn to them and drink up waters in abundance. 11 They say, "How can God know? Does the Most High have knowledge?" 12 This is what the wicked are like— always carefree, they increase in wealth. 13 Surely in vain have I kept my heart pure; in vain have I washed my hands in innocence. 14 All day long I have been plagued; I have been punished every morning. 15 If I had said, "I will speak thus," I would have betrayed your children. 16 When I tried to understand all this, it was oppressive to me 17 till I entered the sanctuary of God; then I understood their final destiny. 18 Surely you place them on slippery ground; you cast them down to ruin. 19 How suddenly are they destroyed, completely swept away by terrors! 20 As a dream when one awakes, so when you arise, O Lord, you will despise them as fantasies. 21 When my heart was grieved and my spirit embittered, 22 I was senseless and ignorant; I was a brute beast before you. 23 Yet I am always with you; you hold me by my right hand. 24 You guide me with your counsel, and afterward you will take me into glory. 25 Whom have I in heaven but you? And earth has nothing I desire besides you. 26 My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever. 27 Those who are far from you will perish; you destroy all who are unfaithful to you. 28 But as for me, it is good to be near God. I have made the Sovereign LORD my refuge; I will tell of all your deeds. -> What thoughts was the Psalmist struggling with? -> How did he combat those thoughts? -> Which of God's truths were especially effective? --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Where does the problem come from? - the "father of lies"/ the accuser John 8:44 You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father's desire. He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies. Revelation 12:10 "Now have come the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God, and the authority of his Christ. For the accuser of our brothers, who accuses them before our God day and night, has been hurled down..." - the heart is deceitful: Jeremiah 7:7-10 "But blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD, whose confidence is in him. He will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit." The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it? "I the LORD search the heart and examine the mind, to reward a man according to his conduct, according to what his deeds deserve." - sinful desires: James 1:13-15 When tempted, no one should say, "God is tempting me." For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; but each one is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed. Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death. James 4:1-3 What causes fights and quarrels among you? Don't they come from your desires that battle within you? 2You want something but don't get it. You kill and covet, but you cannot have what you want. You quarrel and fight. You do not have, because you do not ask God. 3When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures. -> Are there other places from which destructive thought patterns arise? --------------------------------------------------------------------------- How do we overcome? - hold on to: what we know to be true and what we believe to be true - think about whatever is true, noble, right Philippians 4:8 Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable--if anything is excellent or praiseworthy--think about such things. - sow and reap -> thought life Galatians 6:7-9 Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. The one who sows to please his sinful nature, from that nature will reap destruction; the one who sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life. Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. - Faith (and imagination) seeing things as they should be or could be or are supposed to be instead of how they are seeing the unseen - not the power of positive thinking (not self help) instead, must go hand in hand with grace, and God's power -> How does God's power enable us to overcome (change) destructive thought patterns? ask God to heal the underlying pain: (pain is often the underlying root cause of pain and misplaced desire) He sanctifies us: creating a new identity, and new desires! -> What is the role of grace? it gets us trying again it helps us let go -- ourselves, and others too. it defeats the thought: "I'm screwed anyway, so why bother trying again" --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Self assessment questions: - What is your idle mode? - If this problem/situation were resolved, would I fill it with another destructive thought pattern?? - Are your thoughts doing more damage than the actual incident? - Sometimes we can fix things, sometimes we can't thinking about it more won't help -> Can you relate these to any situations in your life? --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Additional thoughts - letting go / forgiveness the hardest disciplines?? --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Working/thinking through things sometimes things need to be dealt with before they should be dismissed or let go of. Here are some ideas: - take it to God - get help from others - write it out - deal with it -- take action when needed (confrontation, etc.)