“You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in you, all whose thoughts are fixed on you!” Isaiah 26:3 (NLT)
Some time ago, after much prayer and conversation, my wife and I sensed God leading us into a new season of ministry, which inevitably caused us to step out of our comfort zone and into unfamiliar territory. We moved our family from suburbia to the big city.
With all the change this moved entailed, it seemed as if my wife and I were adjusting to a new normal. At times, it felt like we weren’t on the same page. I was trying to adapt to a new ministry position in an unfamiliar environment, while my wife was juggling our children’s new school schedules and maintaining her freelance business. We were both learning a new routine and adjusting to life in a new city, and it became easy for us to critique one another.
There came a point where both my wife and I realized we had to put a stop to our negative thought patterns concerning one another. We were not intentionally trying to upset each other. Left unchecked, our negative thoughts and feelings could have potentially created harmful cracks in the foundation of our marriage.
In this process, I was reminded that my mind needed to be transformed and renewed. I needed to follow the advice of 2 Corinthians 10:5-6 and take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ. So I set a goal for myself to turn every negative thought into a prayer.
Sometimes, it was a prayer of thanksgiving: “Thank you, God, for Your protection and provision for my family. Thank you for giving me a loving wife who is willing to walk with me in obedience to the call you have placed on our lives.” Sometimes it was a prayer for my own heart: “Lord, remind me why I fell in love with my wife.”
Re-framing negative thoughts into prayers helped stop my destructive thought patterns. It also got me praying for my marriage, which I found myself neglecting to do. I intentionally read the Bible more often, allowing God’s Word to renew and transform my mind. When I was reminded of God’s generous love for me, I found myself better equipped to love my wife and children.
That “perfect peace” that Isaiah speaks of in today’s verse, the peace that we all long for, is a byproduct of our minds being transformed. This transformation starts with renewing our minds. When we let go of our destructive thoughts through prayer and fill our minds with reminders of God’s promises, more than our thoughts change. Our words, attitudes, and actions begin to change; and day by day, we start to look more like the Prince of Peace.
Digging Deeper:
- In what area of your life are you struggling the most to have peace right now?
- What’s one step you can take this week to take your thoughts captive and renew your mind?
