Who are your enemies? Biblically, we can rightly regard our enemies not only as adversarial people or demonic forces, but any thought that undermines our trust in the Lord, steals our joy, threatens our peace, or inhibits our love.
Our thoughts – no matter how bizarre or terrible they may be – do not define us. In Christ, we are and always will be God’s beloved. But toxic thoughts – just like toxic people – can and will influence our behavior if we ignore them and just let them hang around unaddressed.
So how do we address them? Honestly, openly, and directly with the Lord. The Scriptures encourage us to look to the Lord as our Protector. He is the guardian of our body, spirit and our mind. Instead of trying to overpower destructive thoughts and defeat them by our own strength, He wants us to turn them over to and over with Him. Don’t deny them. Don’t be afraid of them. Don’t try to shut them up. Just make it a three-way conversation.
This perspective and approach will help us avoid condemning ourselves for our thoughts or being ashamed of them. It will also reinforce the truth that the Lord is indeed our helper, healer and refuge.
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