How to Process Negative Thoughts Before They Control You
These circles represent the way you choose to process uncomfortable or tempting or negative thoughts that come into your head. It would be nice if I could tell you that there was some secret to never feel any of those things, never…
Notice what happens between people
These circles represent the way you choose to process uncomfortable or tempting or negative thoughts that come into your head. It would be nice if I could tell you that there was some secret to never feel any of those things, never have a negative thought, never feel defeated, never crave instant gratification, even if you know it's not the best thing for you.
You will live your entire life having to deal with or process negative or tempting or troubling thoughts.
Listen beneath the surface
If you want to be socially normal, you deserve to be socially normal at least every once in a while. If you don't like the way someone's treating you, then you need to make that right, and you deserve respect and you deserve to get what you want, and it's time to rebel against whatever standard that would stop you.
So when I feel something that I don't particularly enjoy, and my first inner circle decision is to focus on me and what I want and what makes me feel better, I'm going to start coming up with very dumb ideas.
Choose a better response
If you are waiting not to feel internal temptations and struggle to go out and live an exceptional life, you will never actually get to live an exceptional life. Oh, you may end up doing some things that you want to do and making yourself feel better because you served your own self-interests, but you and I both know that the Excel Still More Life is not about me getting everything that I want and doing everything that makes me happy.
The Excel Still More Life is about using the life God has given me to the glorification of his name in a march towards heaven, bringing as many people with me as possible.
Practice it in real life
Now, in this case, when you're feeling down or tempted or troubled, you go and find other people who amplify the message of Jesus, who love Jesus in the same way you love Jesus, who know that He is present and seek to serve Him like you're seeking to serve Him. If you can't shake it and you start to see these negative thoughts affecting your relationships and your faith, go sit down with a leader in your church and lay that before them and ask for their help.
I'm just here to tell you, in the world, if someone considers themselves and then goes and finds others who amplify that, they're almost sunk every time.
Take the idea with you.
- 01Where does the central idea of “How to Process Negative Thoughts Before They Control You” show up most clearly in my life right now?
- 02What does this episode call me to believe, stop, start, or handle differently?
- 03What is one specific action I can take today instead of merely agreeing with the idea?
Listen to the original episode
This article was adapted from Episode 62 · Your Three Circles. Continue with the podcast for the original teaching in Kris’s voice.
Explore books by Kris Emerson
Go beyond a single article with Christ-centered books and daily resources designed for Scripture, spiritual growth, and practical discipleship.