Confession from a Worrier (Again)
The last two weeks I have been starting a new job. I am going from working in mental health to work with foster home families. It is the same company I have been with for almost five years, but different office. There is a lot of paperwork and rules and regulations that have to be learned and followed. I've mentioned on this blog that I am not really great with change. Never have been. So, working in a field where my job has changed 5 times in 5 years has been a challenge. "Every summer we hear rumors and ever fall we change chairs" is one of my sayings.
I think I have done fairly well, but my anxiety has been high. This has had an effect on my blood sugar also. I noticed the day I was to drive to Fayetteville for training my blood sugar that morning was sky high at 6 am. Most of that is due to stress. I have been challenged as I have been reading John Ortberg's book "The Me I Want To Be" to think about how I think. In other words, to control what I am thinking with more positive thoughts. That the Bible actually talks a lot about loving God not only in the heart and soul, but with the mind as well (Matthew 22:37).
To be honest, I need to do a better job at this. It is time to give up some "stinky thinking" and to renew my mind as it says in Romans 12:2. I don't think it is any accident that Philippians 4:8 says "Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, let your mind dwell on these things." These verses come right after Paul tells us not to be anxious, but to give everything to God in prayer.
One of my favorite theories so far in counseling is cognitive therapy. Cognitive therapy looks at how we think about things. It seeks to stop what is called "automated thinking". These are thoughts that are automatic for us. In other words, those first thoughts we have that are more like reflexes that something we are consciously in control of. Because this tells us a lot about our tendencies towards negative thinking. Is the glass half full or half empty. It is both. Your answer is determined by your perspective. Thinking positive thoughts is reflected in positive attitudes and actions. If I am engaged in negative thinking than my first response won't be to have happy attitudes and actions.
The Bible can help us a lot in this because it has a lot of positive promises available to the believer. I think this is why scripture memory becomes important. It gives us something to reflect on when the Bible is not physically in front of us. For the believer, we can focus on the world around us or I can make a conscious effort to refocus my mind on God's promises, that He loves me, cares about me, won't leave me and is in control. It is my choice what I let my mind dwell on. I'm going to try and work on doing better in this area and really meditate on those promises.
I think I have done fairly well, but my anxiety has been high. This has had an effect on my blood sugar also. I noticed the day I was to drive to Fayetteville for training my blood sugar that morning was sky high at 6 am. Most of that is due to stress. I have been challenged as I have been reading John Ortberg's book "The Me I Want To Be" to think about how I think. In other words, to control what I am thinking with more positive thoughts. That the Bible actually talks a lot about loving God not only in the heart and soul, but with the mind as well (Matthew 22:37).
To be honest, I need to do a better job at this. It is time to give up some "stinky thinking" and to renew my mind as it says in Romans 12:2. I don't think it is any accident that Philippians 4:8 says "Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, let your mind dwell on these things." These verses come right after Paul tells us not to be anxious, but to give everything to God in prayer.
One of my favorite theories so far in counseling is cognitive therapy. Cognitive therapy looks at how we think about things. It seeks to stop what is called "automated thinking". These are thoughts that are automatic for us. In other words, those first thoughts we have that are more like reflexes that something we are consciously in control of. Because this tells us a lot about our tendencies towards negative thinking. Is the glass half full or half empty. It is both. Your answer is determined by your perspective. Thinking positive thoughts is reflected in positive attitudes and actions. If I am engaged in negative thinking than my first response won't be to have happy attitudes and actions.
The Bible can help us a lot in this because it has a lot of positive promises available to the believer. I think this is why scripture memory becomes important. It gives us something to reflect on when the Bible is not physically in front of us. For the believer, we can focus on the world around us or I can make a conscious effort to refocus my mind on God's promises, that He loves me, cares about me, won't leave me and is in control. It is my choice what I let my mind dwell on. I'm going to try and work on doing better in this area and really meditate on those promises.
