Don’t Believe Everything You Think

I call on the Lord in my distress, and he answers me. Save me, O Lord, from lying lips and deceitful tongues.

Psalm 120:1-2

Imagine my surprise when I saw this bumper sticker on the car in front of me. “Don’t believe everything you think!” 

What! If I think it then should it not be true? Well, not necessarily. At that exact moment the radio announcer started talking about a popular actor who had committed suicide. When I heard her sad announcement the bumper sticker began to make sense.

The actor believed what he thought. He believed that he was worthless, that he could be of no use to anyone in God’s world any more. He believed that his circumstances were helpless. Sadly, he believed Satan’s lies. Lies, proved so by the comments of love and heartache from this actor’s grief-stricken family, friends, and fans.

Are we guilty of believing everything that we think? Do we think that we are useless, ugly, boring? The list could go on and on. It could even go the other way – it’s all about me – my way, my life – me, me.

We could conjure up false thoughts or assumptions about our family, friends, coworkers, and peers. Everybody hates me, nobody likes me. 

We could even believe that God does not have time or care for us personally. What a tragic lie.

When those questionable thoughts come, it’s time to sit back, take a deep breath, and ask God to be in control. We need to check and see if what we think lines up with God’s word, with God’s character.

We may not always be able to trust our own thoughts, but we can trust God’s love for us and His power in us. And, when our thoughts do not line up with His thoughts: “Don’t believe everything you think!”

God, thank you that we do not have to believe Satan’s lies. You have given us your unconditional love and understanding. Help us to remember to go to You with thoughts that may be questionable.

Susan Partida