How to Take Back Control of Your Thoughts

Mental health is the new growth industry of our society.

Psychotherapists, Marriage and Family counselors, personal therapists are graduated from universities by the thousands each year.

Prescription drugs to treat mental and emotional issues bring in billions annually.

And even the church has gotten involved. Many mega-churches have full time counseling departments to treat their church members.

What’s happened?

I think part is a growing awareness of the hidden problems many individuals struggle with.

But I also think we live in a society that bombards us with negativity, hatred, fear, and lust. And it leaves so many confused in its wake.

So what can we do?

Paul writes, “So I tell you this, and insist on it in the Lord, that you must no longer live as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their thinking.” (Ephesians 4: 17 NIV)

In other words we need to quit polluting our minds.  We need to take back control of our thoughts to give us control of our lives.

So how do we do that?

Well, let’s think about what bombards us every day and how we can take control again.

First, TV. Frankly, if you watch a lot turn it off. The average person watches six hours a day. Now that’s futility. And TV is filled with shows to make you lust, envy, fear or be angry. And by the way that goes for watching the news also. It’s just as bad.

Second, music. Be careful what you listen to. So much music today is negative, graphic and angry. And music is exceptionally powerful because the song combined with the words seeps into our subconscious where it can really affect us.

Third, radio. Talk radio continues to top the charts in popularity. Frankly though, I never listen to talk radio. The programs are designed to make us angry so we’ll take some action. I read the news because I don’t want all the sensationalized commentary which upsets me. I can get upset enough just reading it.

Fourth, the internet. You literally can find anything on the internet including crap you don’t want to find. So be careful it’s a jungle out there. And if you inadvertently come across some junk escape. Don’t mess with it.

We could go on but you get the idea.

Our minds control our lives. We choose what to fill them with.  {Tweet}

What are some ways you protect your mind?