How much does our internal voice control how we feel and what we do? Or does what we feel and what we do control our little internal voice? My dad would always tell me that life is about attitude. Is that true? Does our life control our attitude, or does our attitude control our life? I don’t know. I suspect it is really a vicious cycle that can quickly put us into despair.
8 Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. 9 What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me—practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.
 The Holy Bible: English Standard Version. (2016). (Php 4:8–9). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles.
Paul is addressing this very thing in Philippians 4:8-9. What we think and what we do can give us peace, or take it away.
How does that help? Is he saying that if we just think happy thoughts, and do happy things, then we will have a happy life? If only it were that easy! But if I think that I am stupid, and I think that nobody likes me, and I think that I am ugly, and I think today at school will go horrible (yes, we all have these thoughts), then today will probably go horrible. If nothing else, I will only see the horrible things because of my frame of reference.
So how do we break the cycle? I can’t just ignore all the bad things in my life, and focus on the good, can I? The bad won’t go away if I just ignore it, will it? We are talking about mourning here, which is expressing our grief, and not repressing it, right? So what do you mean, just think noble thoughts?
I don’t know the answers here. God doesn’t ask us to ignore the bad and just think about the good. Though if you are like me you may have a tendency to only think about the bad. I am sure there are ways to think purely and nobly and justly even about the most horrible thoughts we have, as a way to confront them. But I am not wise enough to understand how. Perhaps if I had memorized enough scripture, I could use it to fight each negative thought. You are probably better at that than I am. But I do have a tool I use that helps me. A coach taught it to me, and he called it Positive Interrogatories.
Our minds are naturally curious. If you ask a question, your mind immediately goes to work to answer it. And much of that is subconscious. Perhaps this has happened to you. You are wondering something in the morning, and then suddenly in the afternoon the answer pops into your head. I think that is fairly natural for all of us.
Let’s say I have a test. I studied. Chances are I’m pretty well prepared. But when I get up in the morning, I get nervous. There are two approaches I can take when this happens.
My natural inclination is to start thinking of everything that will go wrong. What if I get forget everything? What if there are things on the test that we haven’t even gone over? What if I’m just stupid? I’m going to fail. I hate school. Life sucks. Does any of that sound familiar? To keep from going down that path, I need to cut it off before it starts.
The second approach is to ask myself a positive question. “Why am I going to do well on this test?” And then I go about my day. My mind immediately begins answering the question. I’m prepared. I have a good teacher who wants me to do well. I usually do pretty well. The last time I got nervous I did fine. I got a good night sleep. Whatever the answer is, my mind searches and finds it, and my attitude stays up.
Does it work every time? No. Did it take me a while to get there? Yes. Are there times there isn’t a good answer? Sure. But it works. It it has changed my life.
What tricks do you have to control the negative thoughts that attack your day?