A Sound Mind: Christian Lifestyle Blog Insights | Just A Girl And Jesus

I missed y'all! It's been nearly two months since my last post, and I can honestly say that blogging has become an outlet and a way to connect with others like myself. I've held onto this post for quite a while, and I hope it's worth every moment of the wait.

Let's get right into it! In this post, I want to focus on A SOUND MIND. As an over thinker, managing this can be a challenging area for a child of God if not properly addressed and controlled. Personally, it has been a difficult space to navigate, but I know I'm not alone in this. Overthinking can lead to double mindedness, intrusive thoughts and a open playing field for the enemy, we all know our mind is a battle field. As always I want to open up and share how I have been handling this season and I hope to hear back from you all as well.

What is s sound mind?

A sound mind involves the capacity to tune out the constant noises and distractions, allowing us to concentrate on the Lord's voice and guidance. 2 Timothy gives us a more insight into having a sound mind. 2 Timothy 1:7: "For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and love and a sound mind." Having a sound mind allows us to have mental clarity and emotional stability, which then allows us to make good choices, apply wisdom, and overall access the peace that God gives us access to.

Paul notes that our father has not given us a spirit of fear (we'll get deeper into this shortly)! To be frank, lacking a sound and healthy mindset can truly destroy your life. Let's explore this scenario for a clearer understanding.

Ann's Story

Let me introduce you to Ann's. Ann is a young woman who's been walking with Christ for almost five years now. She is a single mom to a small child, which definitely adds some challenges to her life. Right now, she's trying to juggle parenting while also going to school part-time to chase her dream of becoming a nurse. It’s a career she’s really passionate about and believes will help create a better future for her child. But let’s be real, balancing everything isn't easy. Ann deals with intrusive thoughts every day that can really weigh her down mentally and emotionally. Sometimes, managing school and parenting feels like a lot, and it leads to moments of doubt and anxiety.

This scenario kicks off early one morning when the alarm clock goes off at 5 AM, breaking the quiet of the early hours. Ann, who didn’t get much sleep the night before..thanks to a mix of studying and her daughter having a rough night she feels completely wiped out. Her daughter had crawled into bed with her, so Ann is not only battling her own tiredness but also trying to meet her child's needs. As she lies there, surrounded by open textbooks and a mountain of notes, her mind is racing with thoughts and responsibilities. Still half sleep, she reaches for her phone to turn off the annoying alarm, but instead, she finds herself staring at the ceiling, lost in exhaustion and worry.

After a few minutes of reflection, it hits her: she's missed Bible study for the third time this month. That realization hits hard. She feels guilty as she thinks about how she hasn't spent quality time with God lately. The strong connection she once had feels like it's slipping away, leaving her feeling spiritually lost. The guilt creeps in, reminding her of her inconsistencies..not just in her faith, but in other areas of her life too. That overwhelming feeling of being disconnected from God adds to her emotional burden, leading to a wave of negative feelings. In this moment, Ann feels defeated and overwhelmed, as if her responsibilities and pressures are too much to handle. The intrusive thoughts that haunt her only make it worse, creating a cycle of self-doubt and condemnation.

This might be a scenario I just created to help you all understand, but I GET IT! I have been in Ana's mental state... focusing on my problems instead of the Jesus. Observing everything around me, overwhelmed by inconsistencies and failing to seek the Lord as I should, and at that moment, we should realize we lack the sound mind Timothy mentioned, right? Now, back to Paul explaining that God didn't give us a spirit of fear... whether we fully understand it or not, intrusive thoughts are essentially us panicking and imagining the worst about things beyond our control! Intrusive thoughts are contrary to what Timothy says our Father provides us.

Wrapping It Up

Lets me conclude with this, the only way to keep a sound mind is to stay rooted. Our father in heaven is the ONLY way to maintain and keep a sound and controlled mind, in him we find truth, clarity and peace. He’s the source of wisdom, knowledge, and understanding. Just like Proverbs 1:7 says, "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge." Sure, there will be tough times, but know, joy comes in the morning and the race is not given to the swift.

Staying Connected

• Stay plugged into your community

• Nourish your spirit and mind with God's word

• Pray and fast

• Seek His presence

Please understand, I struggle with these things too, but I believe that all things are possible through Christ who strengthens us, as Matthew 19:26 reminds us. And don’t forget, NOTHING is wasted.

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  Just A Girl And Jesus

  
  

I love y'all..

Just A Girl And Jesus

Chloe' Alexander