Encouragement for Today- July 29, 2020

July 29, 2020 You Are More than the Mean Thoughts You Think About Yourself ASHLEY JACKSON Lee en español “We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ.” 2 Corinthians 10:5 (ESV) I knew I shouldn’t hate myself, but I couldn't stop judging myself on behalf of others. I imagined their mean thoughts toward me, how they must be whispering about me with their friends. I was always preparing myself for the inevitable rejection. What was meant to be my protection had turned into my mental prison. I was suffocating in my own anxious mind, so I sought help. My counselor asked me what came to mind when I thought of myself. My answer? A dorky girl being shoved into a locker by a mean bully. But I reasoned she “deserved it” with those old clothes, messy hair and chubby body. She was an embarrassment to most people. Come to find out, that bully was me. I was the one pushing myself into that locker by constantly berating myself — and I believed I was so embarrassing that I deserved it. It was through this insight that God brought to mind 2 Corinthians 10:3-7: “For though we walk in the flesh, we are not waging war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds. We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ, being ready to punish every disobedience, when your obedience is complete. Look at what is before your eyes. If anyone is confident that he is Christ’s, let him remind himself that just as He is Christ’s, so also are we” (emphasis added, ESV). In other words, what we think matters. Little by little, the Lord taught me to fight for my mind, to see myself only as He does. It didn't happen overnight, but it did happen. If we are Christ's, this is no passive task. This is war. We destroy lies, take captive our hateful thoughts, look forward to a new plan, and remind ourselves of whose we are. So here it is, your call to fight, take action and stand up and tell yourself you've had just about enough. Paul tells us we have to take our thoughts captive and make them obey Christ. What does it mean to make our thoughts obey Christ? It means if Jesus wouldn’t say it about us, we can’t say it to ourselves either. Dear Jesus, thank You for dying for me to be free not just from hell but from the prison of my mind. You alone declare me worthy of Your love by going to the cross in my place. Help me believe this truth: Because of You, I am free. In Jesus’ Name, Amen. TRUTH FOR TODAY: Psalm 94:11-12, “The LORD knows people’s thoughts; he knows they are worthless! Joyful are those you discipline, LORD, those you teach with your instructions.” (NLT) Ephesians 1:5-6, “God decided in advance to adopt us into his own family by bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ. This is what he wanted to do, and it gave him great pleasure. So we praise God for the glorious grace he has poured out on us who belong to his dear Son.” (NLT) RELATED RESOURCES: Only a few more days to register for COMPEL Training! Receive practical tips and teachings today to make your writing better tomorrow. Get immediate access to our popular online writers training program with hundreds of lessons taught by industry professionals, as well as a community of like-minded writers, publishing opportunities and more. There are even opportunities to have your writing featured as one of these devotions! Don't wait — registration is closing soon! Sign me up. CONNECT: Did you know you can find COMPEL Training on Facebook? For encouragement in your calling, plus important updates (even for nonmembers) from friends like Ashley Jackson, today’s devotion author, you’ll find community and more here! REFLECT AND RESPOND: Take a moment to reflect and think about some of the lies about yourself you tend to believe, either past or present. When and how did you start believing those? What truths from Scripture you can use to replace those lies? Join the conversation! We’d love to hear your thoughts about today’s devotion in our comments section. © 2020 by Ashley Jackson. All rights reserved. Proverbs 31 Ministries 630 Team Rd., Suite 100 Matthews, NC 28105 www.Proverbs31.org

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