I don’t mean sober from alcohol and drugs. The Bible teaches that older women are to teach younger women to be sober. So there’s obviously a need to be sober, and older women apparently have learned the trick.
I just taught a group of women at Kauai Baptist Church how to be sober. First things first: sober means to be moderate, controlled or curbed. The opposite is extreme or out of control emotionally. Sometimes, we as women can lean toward this opposite. What if we didn’t let our minds run rampant, and we controlled our minds instead of listening to every suggestion that popped into our head?
I think the biggest contributor to depression is following the natural way our minds lead us rather than guiding our minds.
I suggest that others do what I did almost 30 years ago, based on the book Do you Hear What You’re Thinking, by Jerry Schmidt. Make “counter cards.” That is, get some 3x5-inch cards, and on the front of each card, write a reoccurring thought that tends to drag you down. Think of as many as you can. Here are three examples:
- No one likes me
- Things are always going to be like this for me
- That person will never change
No need to borrow negative thoughts, but these are a few that definitely could bog a person down emotionally, mentally, spiritually.
Now for the “counter” part. On the back of each card, write some verses that would be better to dwell on instead.
Here are three verses that could work on many negative, depressive thoughts:
- Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things. (Phil. 4:8)
- Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. (Phil. 4:6-7)
- Ah Lord GOD! behold, thou hast made the heaven and the earth by thy great power and stretched out arm, and there is nothing too hard for thee: (Jer. 32:17)
Many of our depressive thoughts stem from the fact that we don’t believe God is big enough to change things and/or work on our behalf. Jer. 32:17 is a great verse to counter that.
After you complete the cards, keep them handy, and when one of those plaguing thoughts arises, get the appropriate card, flip it over and review the verses on back. Soon you will automatically replace the bad thought with the true thought. This works, because I’ve done it.
Try it and let me know what you think.
Jody