Dear Dr. B,
I’ve heard that you overcome negativity by speaking the truth instead. Do you have any practical applications for how to put that into practice?
Sincerely,
Nagged by the Negative
Dear Friend,
Step 1 in eliminating negativity: make the choice to overcome.
The first thing you have to do is make the choice to overcome negativity in your life. It sounds to me that you desire to do so, so you’ve made the first and hardest step! Congratulations!
Step 2: pray and ask the Holy Spirit to guide you into all truth.
The second thing I’d recommend is that you pray and ask the Holy Spirit to guide you into all truth. What we are talking about here is really a matter of identifying the lies we have agreed with and replacing them with God’s truth. Sometimes, however, the lies are so firmly entrenched in our thinking that we aren’t even aware that they are lies. That’s where we need the help of the Holy Spirit to identify them for what they are, and to show us God’s truth. Scripture tells us “If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you” (James 1:5).
Step 3: during daily quiet time, record God’s promises in a notebook or journal.
The third thing I’d recommend is that when you have your daily quiet time (I’m assuming you have one. If you don’t, then start having one!!), as you come across God’s promises to us in Scripture, jot them down in a notebook or journal so that you can refer back to them. Those are the truths that you’ll use to overcome the negativity that threatens to overwhelm your mind.
Step 4: recognize negative thoughts and record the truth that combats them.
Fourth, when you begin to recognize negative thoughts, jot them down; then, jot down the truth that combats it.
For example, when you are tempted to think, “I can’t figure it out,” think instead, “God will direct my steps” (Proverbs 3:5-6).
When you are tempted to think, “It’s impossible,” think instead, “All things are possible” (Luke 18:27).
When you find yourself thinking, “I’m not smart enough,” remember that God says He will give you wisdom (1 Corinthians 1:30).
When times are difficult and you feel like you can’t go on, remember that God promises that His grace is sufficient for you (2 Corinthians 12:9).
When you don’t think you can manage a situation, remember that God has promised that He will supply all your needs (Philippians 4:19).
When you are afraid, remember that God has not given you a spirit of fear, but of power, love, and a sound mind (2 Timothy 1:7).
When you feel alone, remind yourself of the truth that says that He will never leave you (Hebrews 13:5).
When you have made a mistake and find it difficult to forgive yourself, remember that God has already forgiven you (Romans 8:1).
When you feel unloved, remember the truth that God loves you (John 3:16).
Write out these truths and recite them often if necessary until they become part of your beliefs. And pray and ask God to help you truly believe them. That’s the kind of prayer He delights in answering!
Dear One, you are loved. You are beautiful. You have a bright future with a purpose and a hope (Jeremiah 29:11). It’s up to you to believe it. Will you?
Because of Him, #Hope Prevails!
DrB
Other Popular Hope-Filled Posts with Scripture:
Whose Opinion Counts including What God Says About You: 20 Scriptures That Define Your Worth
10 Scriptures When You Need Strength – we all need the strength of the Lord
10 Scriptures for Mothers Suffering from Depression – there is hope and help for depression
Your RX: 40 Scriptures that Combat Worry, Fear, Anxiety and Panic – fight back
(If you have a question you’d like Dr. B to answer, contact her here now. Your name and identity will be kept confidential.)
A short brief about Hope Prevails.
Hope Prevails
Insights from a Doctor’s Personal Journey through Depression
Dr. Michelle Bengtson
Speaking from personal and professional experience, a neuropsychologist unpacks what depression is, shows how it affects us spiritually, and offers hope for living the abundant life.
Neuropsychologist Offers Hope to Those Struggling with Depression
-By 2020, depression will be our greatest epidemic worldwide
- An estimated 350 million people worldwide suffer from some form of depression
- As with the bestselling My Stroke of Insight, the author experienced the same condition she treats
- Helpful features include personal stories, biblical truths, prayers, and music recommendations
In Hope Prevails, Dr. Bengtson writes with deep compassion and empathy, blending her extensive training and faith, to offer readers a hope that is grounded in God’s love and grace. She helps readers understand what depression is, how it affects them spiritually, and what, by God’s grace, it cannot do. The result is a treatment plan that addresses the whole person—not just chemical imbalances in the brain.
For those who struggle with depression and those that want to help them, Hope Prevails offers real hope for the future.
Hope Prevails is available now wherever books are sold. To find out more, see: https://drmichellebengtson.com/hope-prevails-book/.
WOW!!! I need this today and everyday. Thank you so much. 🙂 I do need to write these Scriptures and say them aloud every day.
Excellent post! I found all your practical suggestions extremely edifying!
When I became a new believer, I bought a small, pocket-sized book that contained many of the difficult things that we experience in life correlated with the promise of God to encourage us. I need to retrieve that book again.
The more immersed we are in God’s promises, the more peace and joy we will experience, the abundant life that Christ desires for us.
Thanks for sharing!
Thank you for this post. God has used your words to lift me up today. Blessings to you!
What a great word, Michelle!
I found your post on Grace and Truth today.
Sharing it on Pinterest.
Hope you have a great weekend~
Melanie
WOW! Such great wisdom here – I especially love step #4 write the truth that counteracts the negative (lie). This is exactly what I teach people too… so very grateful to be your neighbor at #FaithFilledFriday
This is great. Will be sharing this blog post with several of my pts.
hi michelle:) hope you are continuing to improve from your bout with pneumonia. weakness is not fun! difficulty breathing isn’t either. enjoy the period of rest for what it is girl. great guidelines for combating negativity. so often the truth of philippians 4:8 is helpful. we forget it when the words we hear in our heads are about us and are a mix of lies, but in Christ, they aren’t true anymore! the labels aren’t true anymore for sure…we are no longer liars, or even whores or other evil names satan tries to throw at us. the labels can’t stick anymore when we belong to the king!
Hi, these are great verses and points. I hope you will share with my readers on Literacy Musing Mondays. Here is this week’s link:
http://maryanderingcreatively.com/literacy-musing-mondays-thoughts-growth/
Mary,
Thanks so much for the opportunity to share with your readers! I so appreciate how you offer that forum for doing so. Always great to have you visiting here. Be blessed!
The way to transform a mind is through the word of God. Great post!
Anne,
You’re right! In fact, there is no other way to make true, permanent transformation except through His Word and the working of the Holy Spirit. Thanks for visiting today. I hope we see you again! Blessings.
Such a fitting and powerful use of the Scriptures. Your words inspire, too. Glad I found you through the Literary Musing Mondays linkup.
Eli,
Welcome! I’m so glad you found us too! I hope you’ll take some time to look around. Blessings to you!
great post! I read in Oswald this moring to grab my mood around the scruff of my neck and get rid of it! ha – that works too!
Sue,
I love that thought!! We have more power and control over our mood than we like to acknowledge! Because of Him, #HopePrevails!
Great post! And very practical and helpful! Thank you for sharing with us on the Art of Home-Making Mondays at Strangers & Pilgrims on Earth! 🙂
I’m so glad you enjoyed it! Blessings to you!
When I struggled so greatly with negativity in the past, I believed that choosing to see the positive side of things was “ignoring reality” and I didn’t want to be a silly Pollyanna – closing my eyes to reality and fooling myself about how bad things were. Eventually I became so negative other people didn’t even want to be around me! Then God gave me the concept of The Glass Half Full. The truth is that both good things and bad things are going on in this world (the glass is both half full and half empty). I can acknowledge the reality of both while CHOOSING which I want to DWELL on. Focusing exclusively on negative reality results in personal misery and driving other people away. Perhaps that is why the Apostle Paul encourages us “fix your thoughts on what is true, honorable, right, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent and worth of praise…Then the God of peace will be with you.” (Philippians 4:8-9) With His Spirit living in us and empowering us, God gives us freedom to choose!
Kay,
I understand where you’re coming from. God doesn’t call us to ignore the facts, but He wants us to think on His truth. I love that when we have a Philippians 4:8-9 mindset, He promises we will experience His peace. I want that!! Because of Him, #PeacePrevails!
These are so good! Generally I am a very positive person so negativity is a bit foreign to me but when you hear the negative from those around you, you must combat the thoughts that you keep hearing so they do not take root in your heart and mind. It is like taking our thoughts captive. I have learned over many years to just ‘NOT GO THERE’! A choice I make to not entertain the negative but always focus on the positive side of each situation and issue. Just FYI, I shared 2 of your RX resources this afternoon with a spiritually adopted daughter dealing with a toxic, unholy, argumentative person. One of the ones I shared was the 9 Truths From God’s Word That Combat Negativity! Thank you for having these resources available for me to use. Love you Dr. Michelle! .