When negative thoughts arise, that is our opportunity to abide in Christ. Learn how to abide in Christ and how to overcome negative thoughts no matter what you may be facing.
We are prone to stress and grumble when we do things without Jesus. My days can get super busy, especially with a toddler and newborn, but as I take time to slow down my thoughts and look to Jesus, I am filled with His peace and love.
When complaints arise in my mind, I am reminded to fill my thoughts with gratitude as I look to Jesus. I find that negative thoughts leave as I fill my heart with gratitude for Jesus and His love for me.
When negative thoughts come, that is our cue to turn to abide in Jesus.
With Jesus, we can overcome negative thoughts that come our way. The flesh will always gravitate us towards grumbling and finding the wrongs in our lives, but we are to put off our fleshy desires and put on Christ (Ephesians 4:24). Jesus invites us to abide in Him always so that we may bear fruit: love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control (Galatians 5:22-23).
Life is not always easy, but with Jesus, we can persevere and still bear fruit through difficult times.
Jesus says in John 15:4, “Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me.” Remember that Jesus is always with you. Jesus promises that we will bear fruit as we abide in Him, even during dry and trying times. You can fellowship with the One who is the source of rivers of living water.
The word “abide” means to remain or to cling to.
So how do we abide in Christ? By choosing to cling to Him in our thoughts and actions. When circumstances tempt us to complain and pull away from Jesus, we must choose to remain in Jesus by encompassing all that He is such as being patient and kind.
To follow Jesus will require us to deny ourselves and carry up our cross (our willingness to die to our fleshly desires). Jesus says in Matthew 16:24, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me.”
If we want to abide in Jesus, we must deny our fleshly desires and choose to walk by the Spirit in our thoughts and actions.
Our natural instinct is to do things with our own strength and ability. This is why sometimes God lets us go through challenges and asks us to do things beyond what we can do to show us that it is through Christ that we can do all things.
Philippians 4:13 says, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” In our weakness, we can still experience the grace and transformative power of Jesus as we choose to yield to Jesus.
No matter the hardships you are going through, remember that God’s strength is available for you. As you abide in Jesus and choose to lay aside your worries and whatever is of the flesh, you will find His supernatural strength.
Make this your prayer: Jesus, help me to do nothing apart from You.
Remember that you are not alone and God is here to help you live a victorious life through Jesus. God says in Isaiah 41:10, “So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”
Jesus died on the cross and was resurrected so that we too can die in the bondage of sin and instead experience a life of freedom in Christ here on earth and for eternity.
We are called to live with God’s perspective and not our own. When we see from His perspective, we can believe in big things and have faith in the impossible. Ephesians 2:6 says, “and He raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus…”
When we accept Jesus as our Savior and abide in Him, we get to see from His perspective — a heavenly perspective. By the Holy Spirit, we have access to the mind of Christ (1 Cor. 2:16).
Let us not dwell on negative thoughts but instead ask the Holy Spirit to show us His perspective.
May our knowledge of God through the Holy Spirit cause us to be kind, patient, thankful, gentle, long-suffering, faithful, and filled with self-control. Colossians 1:9-12 says, “We continually ask God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all the wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives, so that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, and giving joyful thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of his holy people in the kingdom of light.”
Let us not continue to live in our flesh, but rather walk by the Spirit that we may inherit eternal life with Jesus.
God has given us His Spirit to strengthen us and conform us to His image — the image of Jesus (Romans 8:29). All we need to do is yield to the Holy Spirit and we will see Him strengthen us. So remember, abide in Christ.
Prayer: Jesus, thank You for calming our minds and spirits when negative thoughts arise. May we always stay connected to you when life becomes too hard and always trust in Your ability.
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