How Can A Person Check Negative Thoughts?

Indiucky After working with a certain middle manager for about three months, he pointed out to me that I was a student of human behavior. I never gave it much thought and I really don't know why he told me that, I never asked. There must be some accuracy to his comment because over time I have an increasing awareness or observation of people with chronic negative thoughts. Now everybody has negative thoughts, it is normal.

A couple of times a year a friend and I take a road trip to hear Bluegrass music. Along the way we may have a discussion concerning God's word. I once presented a question without an answer - How can a person check negative thoughts? He found the question profound and replied, "I don't know. It sounds like a great sermon why don't you do it". Then he added,"Make sure I'm there - I want to hear it".

So here is the sermon. First I begin this talk with strong words of warning. Negativity drags me down. So that is reason for this notice. You will distinctly notice the transition to words of encouragement. Don't let the words of warning drag you down. The words are here because it is important to understand the consequences of negative thoughts.

What do experts have to say about negative thoughts? Experts say that that negative thoughts prevent us from seeing and accepting life situations naturally. "Negative Emotions" are primarily responsible for gradual declination or downfall of our normal thinking process.

Experts go on to say that continuous accumulation of negative emotions within the mind for a longer period of time can spoil our entire persona and can badly hamper our health and happiness.

In the beginning stages, negative emotions sneak up on you with stealthy steps and later on the negativity entraps the mind wholly. Behavioral Negativities --like fear, shame, guilt, arrogance, envy, jealousy, greed, phobia and many other like that-- are considered to be an expression of "Negative Emotions"

As said above, there are various ways of expressing negative emotions like jealousy, anger, envy, greed, sloth, shame, guilt etc. I have not named them all. If you have just thought of some others, just mentally insert them here.

Despite being of no use to us, negative emotions are tremendously powerful. They can debilitate our lives extremely quick. A life-long friendship may come to an end with few words; suspicion or doubting may lead to disastrous choices, because we are out to prove something. Take Cain for example, jealousy and envy were his motives when he killed his brother Able in Genesis.

Either in an impulsive passion as well as in a quiet manner, negative emotions can be expressed.

Rage, anger, arrogance, uncontrolled desire, and violence, as well as self-pity, melancholy, loneliness, boredom, dissatisfaction, inadequacy or envy are few of the most common examples of expressing negative emotions.

Giving up the behavioral negativity is part of the price we pay for awakening. We have to give up something if we wish to make space for something new in our lives. We can hardly be receptive to God and Christ when we are busy in criticizing or quipping others. Purging Negative emotions from the core of psyche at proper timing is the most crucial decision. A well-balanced nature, and a rational or optimistic attitude towards life leads to positive self-image and in turn, satisfying relationships with friends and others.

Please remember your innate nature and general behavioral traits dominates your thoughts, feelings, and mental make-up that affect your overall life. Having emotionally balanced nature and down-to-earth attitude help you make good decisions and deal with life's challenges at home and workplace.

To stop that energy leak --by expressing negative emotions at most of the time-- we must know the ways of purging negative emotions. We can take some precautionary measures like avoiding negative imaginations, staying away from negative talking etc.

We need to remember that expressing negative emotions is a normal part of life and virtually all of us express and accept them as the normal. So we should not be surprised when people are negative, and should not condemn them for it. We are all negative.

We must be aware that when we are negative thinking state, there is a corresponding blockage in the flow of energy through the system of our body due to gradual accumulation of negative emotions. When such blockages are eased and released by purging negative emotions from our thoughts, the emotions come into balance.

Once you are "emotionally balanced" and have developed a pragmatic attitude towards life, you cannot get upset about the "same" past incident or circumstance, no matter what life throws at you! The memory of "that" past incident or circumstance remains there but the charge will have gone.

The Benefits of Purging Negative Emotions

  1. Purging Negative emotions improves coping ability, as well as mental and physical health
  2. It boosts innate latent ability of a person to face life situations courageously
  3. Emotionally balanced person, one who counter balances negative thoughts with the positive, is easily adjustable to different persons as well as situations

The big questions are "How can we detect or increase our awareness that we are having negative thoughts". How can we check the negative thoughts? Let's do some discovery.

How God Thinks

How does God think? First let's see if we can get some insight into how God thinks.

Jeremiah 29:11 (New King James Version)

11 For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the LORD, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.

I like the New King James version. Your Bible may say plans where mine says thoughts. In 28 words God's thinking process is revealed. If this is how God thinks towards us shouldn't we think the same way toward ourselves? Shouldn't we think the same way towards others?

God does not have evil thoughts! All God's thoughts are of peace. Have you ever experienced a flicker of peace? Do you remember what it was like? For me it always begins with a soft breeze across my check, and then it quickly passes. Immediately I want the experience to continue but it is always a fleeting thing. And then I say thank you God for that moment of peace.

We should have thoughts of peace towards self and towards others. The benefits of such thoughts are hope and a future. This benefit is exhibited by a genuine desire to succeed and a genuine happiness for others when they succeed.

So in contrast if our thoughts are turbulent the outcome is hopelessness and the cliche' "Happily ever after" is unlikely.

In the Jeremiah 29 verse, God is picking up his fallen people and dusting them off and setting them back on their feet. We have to do the same thing for ourselves, for our children and for each other. None of us are immune to the obstacles of life.

How can we detect or increase our awareness that we are having negative thoughts?

We need an imaginary dashboard light; maybe it looks like the statue of the thinker or an olive branch. It needs to come on in an amber light to warn us that we are having a negative thought.

What am I suggesting is, do self-checks. Self-awareness is necessary to bridle our minds. So what have I taken away from this study - I need Self-awareness to tone down and mute the unbridled thoughts to align with God's thinking. I need to be able to continually monitor thinking - a difficult thing to do.

How can we check or purge the negative thoughts?

Paul, inspired by the Holy Spirit provides us with shield or method to sweep the negative thoughts from the corners of our minds. Turn with me to Phil 4:4-9.

4 Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice! 5 Let your gentleness be known to all men. The Lord is at hand. 6 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; 7 and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. 8 Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy-meditate on these things. 9 The things which you learned and received and heard and saw in me, these do, and the God of peace will be with you.

Verse 4: Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice!

This verse serves to introduce the series of encouragements and exhortations which is our focus today. This is not just "typical" and therefore to be passed over as a nice Christian platitude, but crucial to the whole of Paul's letter. Christian joy does not come and go with one's circumstances; rather it is predicated altogether on one's relationship with the Lord. It finds expression in "rejoicing," which is an imperative, not an option.

Verse 5: Let your gentleness be known to all men. The Lord is at hand. I want to save this verse for later.

Verse 6: Be anxious for nothing. If our anxiety flag is up we must put it away. The imperative command: If it is on your mind give it to God in prayer. We are to plea to God with thanksgiving. Yes in spite of the current trouble there is much still to be thankful for, isn't there? Let God know your requests. We could end our request with: I have cast my cares to you God. And God, though Your great understanding, help me have a peaceful heart through your son Christ Jesus.

The end of verse 8: Spend your thinking time on these 7 things. Here are the things we are to mediate on - verse 8:

8 whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy

Number 1: Whatever things are true. We are to meditate on God's word. Maybe you take a passage along with you on a day and just really explore it in your mind.

Number 2: Whatever things are noble. I have a list of synonyms for the word noble. I'm going to slowly verbally list them. These are also things we are to mediate on. As I recite the list let your mind associate something visual that represents each word: dignified, gracious, decent, righteous, good, and finally splendid.

Number 3: Whatever things are pure. Focus your thoughts on what ever is unadulterated, uncontaminated, clean, untainted, and wholesome.

Number 4: Whatever things are lovely. This should not be hard for anyone. We are surrounded by the divine, the charming and beauty. Meditate on these things.

Number 5, 6 and 7: Whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy, meditate on it. Think about the good things people have done, or their good qualities.

Now, I could close here. But some might point out that I have taken Paul's exhortations out of context. Look at verses Phil 4 1-3. I'll read them to you. I promise to mispronounce 2 of the names. You know, I could let my battle with phonics keep me from getting up here and teaching, but I don't. I pray for some strength and courage to push on.

1 Therefore, my beloved and longed-for brethren, my joy and crown, so stand fast in the Lord, beloved. 2 I implore Euodia and I implore Syntyche to be of the same mind in the Lord. 3 And I urge you also, true companion, help these women who labored with me in the gospel, with Clement also, and the rest of my fellow workers, whose names are in the Book of Life. 4 Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice! 5 Let your gentleness be known to all men. The Lord is at hand.

6 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; 7 and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

What we have here are two ladies that that aren't playing well in the sandbox. Their mutual contention is well known and even Paul has heard about this spat and he is perhaps hundreds of miles away writing this letter to bring peace.

I have spent most of my professional career in Human Resources. I have had many opportunities to investigate the same behaviors in the workplace. It is usually traces back to one person who irritated the other. The irritated one responds in anger and the irritator claims to be the victim and files a complaint. It reminds me of a Duke basketball player's antics to draw a personal foul. Duke has some real good actors. They play the role of the victim very well.

Verse 5: let your gentleness be known to all. Means if your behavior irritates others stop! I often use the analogy of a stone in my shoe as I'm walking. This thing is so irritating that causes me to stop what I was doing and pay attention to the source. You have been there you take the shoe off expecting to find a stone as big as a pea and you find a pieces of grit. And you think to yourself, how could that speck felt so large? How could it have irritated me so?

Verse 5: let your gentleness be known to all. It also means don't react to irritating behaviors. Don't let the irritator take you off your game. Now we have peace.

Conclusion

If anyone was prime to have negative thoughts it was David. He fled from his enemies. While in flight he wrote Psalms. He looked at his problems through God. He didn't look at God through his problems.

Be the kind of man that looks at his problems through God.

Contributors: Charming Health (dot) com Article on negative thinking | Negative thoughts | unwanted thoughts;Experts; Preachers I have heard who's comments ended up in the fly leaf of my bible or my mind; Indiucky