Mind Full or Mindful?
As I wound my way through the produce aisle of my local grocery store this week, no one was making eye contact, much less, exchanging smiles or typical pleasantries. When I stepped a few paces to my left to select a head of lettuce, the woman eyeing the broccoli jerked back in the opposite direction and glared at me as if I almost infected her with the bubonic plague. (I really was more than 6 feet away from her!) To say the tension was thick is quite the understatement. It was almost as if I could feel the fear and anxiety radiating from the people that passed me.
My mind filled with fearful thoughts as I loaded the groceries into my car. What if someone infected with COVID 19 sneezed on something I touched? Did I use enough hand sanitizer when I exited the building?…I whispered, “God, please give me wisdom.” Then this popped into my mind:
Does God want us to be fearful? No! God has not given us a spirit of fear but love, power, and a sound mind. Am I being mindful of the thoughts I am allowing to dwell in my mind?
Have you experienced anything similar? My guess would be an overwhelming yes in light of our current COVID 19 pandemic.
So, what should we do when fear and anxiety creep into our minds?
Be mindful of God’s Word.
Each day in my journal, I am going to write 2 Timothy 1:7. God did not give me a spirit of fear, but He gave me love, power, and a sound mind. I will also write it on sticky notes and place them in my house, in my car, and where I spend the majority of my time. When you feel fear or anxiety rising up, remind yourself of this verse.
Be mindful of your thought life.
Is your mind filled with negativity? The only way to override fearful and anxious thoughts is to focus your attention on other things. Philippians 4:8 instructs us to think about 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.
Most importantly, PRAY.
Let's pray together!
Dear God,
DO SOME GOOD!
Psalms 37:3 teaches that we should trust God and do good. Ask yourself and God these questions: Is there someone in my life that I could bless today? Do I have the ability to lighten someone’s load even if it were a small bit? Once we begin to seek out solutions for others, our circumstances no longer inhabit the center of our attention. It could be as simple as writing an encouraging note to a friend, calling someone who is lonely, or complimenting a family member (especially ones we live with – we tend to take them for granted the most).
Would you like a free printable confession card for overcoming fear and anxity? Click the button below for the free tool.