I went to lunch with a friend a week and a half ago. This friend completely encourages me! Her mom is a teacher for North Clackamas. The mom went to a kick-off-the-year meeting and received this teaching (my friends Mom added the Scripture). I needed to hear this and it's just to good not to share.
A.N.T.s are automatic negative thoughts. They are the cynical, gloomy and complaining thoughts that can cause us to be depressed and dissatisfied. EVERY thought you have sends electrical signals through your brain. When your minds is burdened with many negative thoughts it affects the deep limbic system of your brain and causes irritability, moodiness and depression. When you think good thoughts your brain releases chemicals that make your body feel good. Proverbs 4:23 tells us to "keep our hearts (minds) with all diligence." so we must discipline our thinking to be godly and positive.
Consider negative thoughts to be pollution . Understand that your automatic thoughts don't always tell the truth. Talk back to ANTs. Exterminate the ANTs!
The ANTs:
1* Always/never thinking: thinking in words like always, never, no one, everyone, every time, everything. Eph. 4:25
2* Focusing on the negative: seeing only the bad in a situation. Phil. 4:8, Gen. 50:20
3* Fortune-telling: predicting the worst possible outcome to a situation. Ps. 42:5, 11, Ps. 43:5
4* Mind reading: believing that you know what others are thinking, even though they haven't told you. Pr. 29:5
5* Thinking with your feelings: believing negative feelings without ever questioning them. Pr. 2:10, 11
6*Guilt-beating: thinking in words like should, must, ought or have to. It is better to replace with phrases like "I want to do..." or "It fits with my goals to do...." or "It would be helpful to...." 2 Cor. 3:17
7*Labeling: attaching a negative label to yourself or to someone else. Pr. 23:7a, 2 Cor. 3:4, 5
8* Blaming: blaming someone else for your own problems or mistakes. Gen. 3:12, 13
9* Personalizing: interpreting harmless events with personal meaning. 2 Cor. 10:4, 5
Lets just say my day yesterday was a sucky one. Technically we're not supposed to use that word, that just goes to show how bad it was. Any why? Our future plans, hopes and goals were changed for us, not by us. But I wanted it to be the way I planned and dreamed. I was partly mourning and partly being selfish. Better to change today than tomorrow. After all, I still have Ben and the kids. We can always change our goals and dreams. They don't have to happen tomorrow or even in a year. Yet, even as I write this my vision is becoming cloudy with tears. I truly feel like we've made the best choice, but my heart still hurts.
Needless to say this little bit of info about the ants is good for me.
Over and out!
6 comments:
Thank you for sharing this Katy. I am going to stop and pray for you today. I am sorry your day was so horrible. I hope you were able to get a bit of time to yourself to pray and mull it all over.
Hugs.
I'm so sorry. Hugs to you. Thank you for sharing... in your pain, you've encouraged me. I will pray that Papa will pull you close on His lap for a good cry.
Katy - I wish I could go through my computer and give you a big hug! I'll be praying for you. Love you lots!
Oh, thanks for sharning the ANTS!
I thought these were so good..I struggle with several of these things..some more than others. I'll say a little prayer for you today. It's so hard when plans and dreams get turned upside down and we don't know where to go next..
What wise words Katy. Thank you for sharing. You are a sweet fragrance to God. I love you and truly admire the way you have persevered through the many ups and downs this last year.
Thanks guys! Love you all.
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