Have you ever felt hijacked by your own thoughts? Unwanted intrusive thoughts can be more than just a nuisance; they often leave us feeling out of control and questioning our own sanity. As believers, this can be confusing. Join me, Lyvita Brooks, as I open up about my own battle with these clutter monsters. This episode isn't just about sharing struggles; it's about equipping you with the tools to deal with and how to manage unwanted intrusive thoughts. So you can go and do what God's designed you to do.
I hope you'll feel encouraged to rate and share this podcast, not just to spread the word but to embolden others who might be silently struggling, reminding them that they're not alone in this journey. Let's reclaim the joy and serenity of our daily lives, one thought at a time, bringing them under the captivity of the obedience of Christ Jesus.
Resources Mentioned on the Episode and suggested reading & social media handles:
- Suicide Prevention Hotline
- Emotional Abuse and Physical Abuse Support
- DivorceCare
- Great books to help with Grieving (find the ones I give out)
Calls to Action:
· Sign up for The Me Project Academy Newsletter for resources on decluttering your mind in order to grow in Christ, academy news and new releases of the podcast.
· Website: www.hangingoutwithjesuspodcast.com
· support@themeprojectacademy.com (for comments)
- Instagram: @hangingoutwithjesuspodcast
Thanks for listening. I pray this episode was a blessing to you. Leave a comment or rate this episode . Then pass it on. Share this link: https://lyvitabrooks.com/
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Lyvita (00:01):
Saint, have you been dealing with unwanted thoughts?
Have you been dwelling on thepast more than the present or
complaining about the future?
Has your anxiety levelincreased because you keep
hearing thoughts that make youfeel uneasy and you can't stop
(00:22):
them?
Have you been thinking aboutstuff you know should not be
passing through your mind?
Stop, take a breath.
This episode is about how tomanage intrusive thoughts,
because they are cluttermonsters If you let them.
(00:48):
Welcome to Hanging Out WithJesus Podcast, the podcast that
teaches you how to spend timewith God to declutter your mind.
Hi, I'm Lyvita, author, bibleteacher and speaker on a mission
with the purpose to help thesaints break free from the
things that distract us fromdoing what God has designed us
(01:11):
to do, and one of those thingsis intrusive thoughts.
Now let's get started, saint.
Let's get some clarity aboutintrusive thoughts before diving
into how to manage them.
Saint, they have a way ofcluttering up your mind until
(01:36):
you become so engrossed in thosethoughts until you can't enjoy
your day or your God.
Unwanted Intrusive thoughts areideas and images that come into
your mind uninvited andtypically unwanted.
The thoughts can range frommaking you feel uneasy to
(02:02):
disturbing, and they usually arethe last thing you want to
think about.
A few examples might be hurtingyourself or someone else,
worrying about catching aserious illness or virus,
(02:23):
thinking about doing somethingillegal, dwelling on past
experiences, a lot unwantedsexual thoughts, reliving
emotions from bad memories,thoughts that cause you to doubt
the things even written in theBible.
(02:45):
Fyi, your intrusive thoughtsdoes not does not mean that
you're a bad person or a personwho's failing in someone, or
that it's something you want toact out or that you would.
(03:06):
Nor does your thoughts dictatewho you are.
And, lastly, god's not judgingyou.
He loves you, he knows whatyou're going through.
So, saint, we gotta rememberthat we're living in a world of
sin, and I know that's somethingthat we forget every once in a
(03:28):
while.
But we have to remember thatResearch suggests that intrusive
thoughts are going to come, andy'all, we live in a world of
sin.
So, yeah, I'm gonna come.
Research is just agreeing withthe Bible on that because, see,
(03:50):
it's natural, it's human nature.
Research also says thatintrusive thoughts go away more
quickly if you don't try to pushthem away or give them too much
attention or get fixated onthem.
That brings me to this bit ofinformation I need to share with
(04:13):
you.
Intrusive thoughts are calledobsessions.
They are repeated thoughts,images, urges that are unwanted
and can make most people anxious.
They bring up uneasiness andcan cause mood swings or put you
(04:34):
on an emotional roller coaster,none of which are good.
They are clutter monsters thathave form, and we're about to
get that vacuum of the word tosuck the dust out.
So keep listening, y'all.
There are things that cantrigger unwanted intrusive
(04:56):
thoughts.
I'm only going to cover a few.
One trigger is stress, anotheranxiety you have hormone shifts.
Biological factors is anotherone.
Trauma, mental health condition, imbalances in one's brain
(05:18):
chemistry, environmentalstresses like global warming
affecting our food supply, andalso learned thought patterns
All are triggers to unwantedintrusive thoughts.
(05:38):
And there's others, y'all, butthese are just a few.
Now, saints, once you realizethat you are having unwanted
intrusive thoughts, don't getall excited, don't get all
flustered.
You see, they can't be deletedor stopped, but the frequency of
(06:02):
them can be decreased, and howyou handle them is what's going
to be important.
This is why I titled thisepisode Managing Intrusive
Thoughts, since they're justgoing to happen, probably just
(06:23):
have one.
So how do we manage them andwhat can we do to maintain a
healthier thought life?
Saints, this is where self-talkis going to be critical and
managing unwanted, intrusivethoughts that are interfering
(06:44):
with your peace of mind.
Saints, we're going to get backto the episode.
If you believe that thispodcast is beneficial, please
share it, rate it and review iton whatever podcast platform
you're listening to right now.
When you do so, it helps thepodcast reach more people with
(07:04):
the message of declutteringtheir mind so that they can be
all that God's called them to be.
Now back to that episodeTalking about unwanted thoughts.
Saints, for the past 12 months,I've been reliving the past.
My awakening consisted ofreliving the last 23 years of my
(07:27):
broken and now dissolvedmarriage.
I've tried to understand it,analyze it repeatedly, rethink
what I rethought, ponder it, andit all boils down to the fact
that I can't change the past.
So why am I still trying tolive there in hopes that in my
(07:48):
mind there will be some change?
Saints, I had to get to thepoint where I stopped dwelling
on the what ifs, the should itcould, it would us, because,
truth be told, I can't changewhen our older or the past is
done.
I know you are designed to keepreliving past bad memories.
(08:09):
They happen Then, not now.
They are no longer real.
The present is real becausethat is where we are right now.
We're living in the present.
Now, for me, saints, this wasunwanted intrusive thoughts
because they kept coming.
(08:30):
I didn't invite it.
I might see something orsomething, a thought will pop up
in my head.
Well, Saints, they were takingthese unwanted intrusive
thoughts.
They were taking my peace, theywere taking my joy.
So what did I do, besides talkwith my therapist about these
(08:51):
lingering, reoccurring thoughtsthat I did not want because they
were training me?
I mean training me, saints,just as much as the marriage did
, and my health and my body wasjust being impacted.
I was developing anxiety inplaces I didn't even know I had
(09:12):
anxiety, saints, there's anotherway.
Now, saints, here are three wayson how to deal with unwanted
intrusive thoughts and five waysyou can manage it.
First, realize that it is anunwanted intrusive thought.
Remember, some of thesethoughts are going to come in
(09:35):
your mind and fly away becauseyou didn't entertain it.
That's good, but for those thatkeep coming around and are
bothering you, bring it intocaptivity to the obedience of
Christ.
Second Corinthians, 10, verse 4to 5, says for the weapons of
(09:58):
our warfare are not of the flesh, but have divine power to
destroy strongholds.
We destroy arguments in everylofty opinion raised against the
knowledge of God and take everythought captive to obey Christ.
Saints, that's the key rightthere Take every thought captive
(10:23):
to obey Christ.
Second pray Tell a Lord thatyou are thinking these thoughts,
that you don't want them, andyou're bringing it under the
obedience of Christ Jesus and toHim.
Because Philippians, chapter 4,verse 6, says don't be anxious
(10:45):
about anything, but ineverything, by prayer and
supplication, with thanksgiving,let your request be made known
to God.
Don't fret about it, justremind yourself that you've
given it to God, but he's goingto deal with it.
Remember, don't dwell on it,just state it and forget it,
(11:09):
because God's got it.
And then the third thing is topith it.
Do.
Philippians, chapter 4, 8through 9.
Finally, brothers, whatever istrue, whatever is honorable,
whatever is just, whatever ispure, whatever is lovely,
whatever is commendable, ifthere is any excellence, if
(11:33):
there is anything worthy ofpraise, think about these things
, what you have learned andreceived and heard and seen in
me.
Practice these things, and theGod of peace will be with you.
Saints, think about somethingelse that you're grateful for or
(11:54):
what you've learned.
Remember you're going to do oneor two things Prevent or permit
.
Prevent the bad things by notdwelling on them, or permit good
thoughts by thinking on thingsthat help you.
So say that's how you deal withintrusive thoughts by
(12:19):
recognizing, praying andpivoting.
Recognize that it is oneintrusive thought, praying to
God about the thought, and thenpivot by thinking about
something else.
Now, that has helped me a lot.
I pray it does the same for you.
(12:40):
Recognize, pray and pivot.
Now here's five ways you canmanage intrusive thoughts.
One consistent spiritualpractices.
Y'all you gotta have a habit.
You gotta have consistenthabits, consistent spiritual
disciplines like reading yourBible, studying your Bible,
(13:01):
meditating on your Bible,memorizing scriptures.
Saints, when I said earlier topivot, why do you need something
to pivot to?
When you have scripture as aregular part of your life?
The Holy Spirit has somethingto burp up in your head that
will help you pivot accordingly.
Remember Isaiah 55, 8 through9?
(13:24):
.
God's thoughts are our thoughts.
His is greater, so put enoughof Him in you by daily and
intentionally following Jesussteps, a spending time with God
in His Word, y'all.
That's what this podcast isabout hanging out with Jesus so
(13:46):
you can declutter your mind.
Number two it's prayerjournaling, and this is one that
I do.
This is where you release yourintrusive thoughts and how God
is helping you to do so.
No, it's not your time tocomplain and just get out all
(14:09):
that.
You know what the thought isand all this mess is no, no, no,
no, no.
This is a time where you say,lord, you know, I keep having
the same thought.
I can't get rid of it.
You know I need your help.
(14:30):
I'm praying, lord, you hear mycry?
This is a time where youpraying to the Lord about that
situation.
Don't get stuck on saying, well, lord, this happened, that
happened.
I can't believe it, oh, mygoodness, thinking about this
again.
No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no,no, no.
(14:53):
This is where you just simplysay, lord, I can't handle this
anymore.
So please help me get rid ofthis thought.
What is the trigger?
What is the root cause of theproblem?
You know you start talking tothe Lord about things like this
(15:13):
because you're starting it'slike giving yourself permission
to forget about it and beginpivoting to trusting God.
If thinking about the future istriggering unwanted, intrusive
thoughts, then bring that beforethe Lord, because the Lord is
(15:38):
the one who directs your path.
Remember Proverbs 3, 5, 6, whenit says trust in the Lord with
all your heart and do not leanon your own understanding.
And all your ways, acknowledgehim and he will make your path
straight.
I put a link in the show notesfor those who participate in the
(16:04):
email newsletter on how toprayer turn.
So if you're interested, clickon the link below and become a
part of email newsletter.
That's just one of the thingsthat I put in the newsletter.
Third is physical activity.
Saint, get to dancing, walking,jogging, pick a ball.
(16:26):
I'm not trying to, but pick aball.
Take a self-defense class orpottery class.
You may want to check out theprior episode that I had with
Kelly Brinkman about pottery andhow it helps you to calm the
(16:46):
soul.
Saints, just do activities.
That involves more movementthan just coming in a hat.
Again, our goal isn't toeliminate intrusive thoughts,
but to manage them, because theyare a normal part of being a
human being.
The point is that you don'twant it to overtake your peace
(17:10):
of mind.
So get out and get some freshair.
Hey, go hiking, immerseyourself in nature.
If you got a backyard, just gooutside.
Listen to the sounds, smell,the newness of the air.
(17:32):
All these things will groundyou back into the presence.
So get outside, move, becausethat helps you manage those
intrusive thoughts.
And number four deep breathing.
This will cause you to focus onyour breathing and switch from
(17:54):
flight or fight to a state ofrelaxation.
This is one I try to do.
Often it's very hard for me,but I try.
It was difficult while I wasgoing through because you know
it would result in coughing andfor some reason you know my
(18:16):
anxiety level would get, willstart rising.
It's, like you know, triggeringmore stress.
But the more I remember to doit, the better it got.
But I'm still working on it tohelp keep me calm.
Number five keep a regularschedule.
(18:36):
Thanks, I can't tell you howimportant that is.
Keep a regular schedule.
Even when I get off schedule, Ican see it impacts my day.
Things just seem all off.
So keep a regular schedulebecause it reduces stress and
anxiety which can be triggered.
(18:59):
Say, routines are, for example,like keeping a regular wake up
and bedtime hour, eating mealsaround the same time, even
exercise around the same timeand spending time with the Lord.
And you're a routine in yourjournal, you know, before going
to bed, you know listening tothe Lord right before you wake
(19:23):
up and so just jumping out ofthe bed.
Now what I've noticed is thatin different seasons of your
life, your morning and yourevening routines, even your
midday routines, are sometimesrefined and adjusted.
And the more you become settledwithin that new season, the
(19:48):
less refining and adjustment isneeded.
But I'm also learning that,even though the time you do,
certain things can change.
But there's one thing thatremains to say having that quiet
(20:08):
time with the Lord,uninterrupted, that never
changes.
I mean, the time may change,the devotional may change, but
being the presence of the Lord,that doesn't change.
So, saint, there's five ways tomanage on one intrusive thought
(20:30):
Consistent spiritual practices,like reading your Bible before
going to bed.
Prayer journal like givingyourself time to unpack the mess
in your head before God.
Physical activity like walking,deep breathing and keeping a
(20:51):
regular routine like AM quiettime.
I need to stop here, listen,saints.
If the intrusive thoughts arebecoming persistent and
interfere with your day-to-daylife, then it's time to seek
professional help.
I did Sometimes.
(21:14):
A good therapist can help youget the clutter out of the way
so you can think straight, and agood Christian therapist Y'all
is priceless, saints.
We all need help from time totime.
Unwanted intrusive thoughts areclutter monsters which can stop
(21:38):
you from being all God's callto you to be.
Don't be afraid or embarrassedto seek help.
God's giving each and every oneof us different gifts and
talents for a reason, so seekout help when you need it.
Now I'm giving you some ideas ofhow to deal with and manage
(22:00):
unwanted intrusive thoughts, butalways, if it persists, get
help from a professional.
I heard Max Locato, who's anauthor and speaker, say you are
not a victim of your thoughts,but, by virtue of the Holy
(22:21):
Spirit, you are a victor overyour thoughts.
Let's pray, lord.
I pray that if my brother orsister is dealing with intrusive
thoughts, that you use thisepisode to help them recognize
it, practice how to deal with it, learn how to manage it and get
(22:46):
help if need.
I pray this episode helps themcome out of the clutter of
intrusive thoughts into theclarity of who you are to them
and they to you, and they comeout boldly, courageously and
with confidence so they can goand do what you call them to do.
(23:10):
In Jesus' name, I pray.
If you are new to this podcast,welcome.
Thanks for joining us.
If you believe that thispodcast is beneficial, please
share it, rate it and review iton whatever podcast platform you
are listening to right now.
This will help the podcastreach more people.
(23:30):
So until we meet again on theairways intentional and damn,
hang out with me, shalom.
Saint, have you been dealing with unwanted thoughts?
Have you been dwelling on thepast more than the present or
complaining about the future?
Has your anxiety levelincreased because you keep
hearing thoughts that make youfeel uneasy and you can't stop
(00:22):
them?
Have you been thinking aboutstuff you know should not be
passing through your mind?
Stop, take a breath.
This episode is about how tomanage intrusive thoughts,
because they are cluttermonsters If you let them.
(00:48):
Welcome to Hanging Out WithJesus Podcast, the podcast that
teaches you how to spend timewith God to declutter your mind.
Hi, I'm Lyvita, author, bibleteacher and speaker on a mission
with the purpose to help thesaints break free from the
things that distract us fromdoing what God has designed us
(01:11):
to do, and one of those thingsis intrusive thoughts.
Now let's get started, saint.
Let's get some clarity aboutintrusive thoughts before diving
into how to manage them.
Saint, they have a way ofcluttering up your mind until
(01:36):
you become so engrossed in thosethoughts until you can't enjoy
your day or your God.
Unwanted Intrusive thoughts areideas and images that come into
your mind uninvited andtypically unwanted.
The thoughts can range frommaking you feel uneasy to
(02:02):
disturbing, and they usually arethe last thing you want to
think about.
A few examples might be hurtingyourself or someone else,
worrying about catching aserious illness or virus,
(02:23):
thinking about doing somethingillegal, dwelling on past
experiences, a lot unwantedsexual thoughts, reliving
emotions from bad memories,thoughts that cause you to doubt
the things even written in theBible.
(02:45):
Fyi, your intrusive thoughtsdoes not does not mean that
you're a bad person or a personwho's failing in someone, or
that it's something you want toact out or that you would.
(03:06):
Nor does your thoughts dictatewho you are.
And, lastly, god's not judgingyou.
He loves you, he knows whatyou're going through.
So, saint, we gotta rememberthat we're living in a world of
sin, and I know that's somethingthat we forget every once in a
(03:28):
while.
But we have to remember thatResearch suggests that intrusive
thoughts are going to come, andy'all, we live in a world of
sin.
So, yeah, I'm gonna come.
Research is just agreeing withthe Bible on that because, see,
(03:50):
it's natural, it's human nature.
Research also says thatintrusive thoughts go away more
quickly if you don't try to pushthem away or give them too much
attention or get fixated onthem.
That brings me to this bit ofinformation I need to share with
(04:13):
you.
Intrusive thoughts are calledobsessions.
They are repeated thoughts,images, urges that are unwanted
and can make most people anxious.
They bring up uneasiness andcan cause mood swings or put you
(04:34):
on an emotional roller coaster,none of which are good.
They are clutter monsters thathave form, and we're about to
get that vacuum of the word tosuck the dust out.
So keep listening, y'all.
There are things that cantrigger unwanted intrusive
(04:56):
thoughts.
I'm only going to cover a few.
One trigger is stress, anotheranxiety you have hormone shifts.
Biological factors is anotherone.
Trauma, mental health condition, imbalances in one's brain
(05:18):
chemistry, environmentalstresses like global warming
affecting our food supply, andalso learned thought patterns
All are triggers to unwantedintrusive thoughts.
(05:38):
And there's others, y'all, butthese are just a few.
Now, saints, once you realizethat you are having unwanted
intrusive thoughts, don't getall excited, don't get all
flustered.
You see, they can't be deletedor stopped, but the frequency of
(06:02):
them can be decreased, and howyou handle them is what's going
to be important.
This is why I titled thisepisode Managing Intrusive
Thoughts, since they're justgoing to happen, probably just
(06:23):
have one.
So how do we manage them andwhat can we do to maintain a
healthier thought life?
Saints, this is where self-talkis going to be critical and
managing unwanted, intrusivethoughts that are interfering
(06:44):
with your peace of mind.
Saints, we're going to get backto the episode.
If you believe that thispodcast is beneficial, please
share it, rate it and review iton whatever podcast platform
you're listening to right now.
When you do so, it helps thepodcast reach more people with
(07:04):
the message of declutteringtheir mind so that they can be
all that God's called them to be.
Now back to that episodeTalking about unwanted thoughts.
Saints, for the past 12 months,I've been reliving the past.
My awakening consisted ofreliving the last 23 years of my
(07:27):
broken and now dissolvedmarriage.
I've tried to understand it,analyze it repeatedly, rethink
what I rethought, ponder it, andit all boils down to the fact
that I can't change the past.
So why am I still trying tolive there in hopes that in my
(07:48):
mind there will be some change?
Saints, I had to get to thepoint where I stopped dwelling
on the what ifs, the should itcould, it would us, because,
truth be told, I can't changewhen our older or the past is
done.
I know you are designed to keepreliving past bad memories.
(08:09):
They happen Then, not now.
They are no longer real.
The present is real becausethat is where we are right now.
We're living in the present.
Now, for me, saints, this wasunwanted intrusive thoughts
because they kept coming.
(08:30):
I didn't invite it.
I might see something orsomething, a thought will pop up
in my head.
Well, Saints, they were takingthese unwanted intrusive
thoughts.
They were taking my peace, theywere taking my joy.
So what did I do, besides talkwith my therapist about these
(08:51):
lingering, reoccurring thoughtsthat I did not want because they
were training me?
I mean training me, saints,just as much as the marriage did
, and my health and my body wasjust being impacted.
I was developing anxiety inplaces I didn't even know I had
(09:12):
anxiety, saints, there's anotherway.
Now, saints, here are three wayson how to deal with unwanted
intrusive thoughts and five waysyou can manage it.
First, realize that it is anunwanted intrusive thought.
Remember, some of thesethoughts are going to come in
(09:35):
your mind and fly away becauseyou didn't entertain it.
That's good, but for those thatkeep coming around and are
bothering you, bring it intocaptivity to the obedience of
Christ.
Second Corinthians, 10, verse 4to 5, says for the weapons of
(09:58):
our warfare are not of the flesh, but have divine power to
destroy strongholds.
We destroy arguments in everylofty opinion raised against the
knowledge of God and take everythought captive to obey Christ.
Saints, that's the key rightthere Take every thought captive
(10:23):
to obey Christ.
Second pray Tell a Lord thatyou are thinking these thoughts,
that you don't want them, andyou're bringing it under the
obedience of Christ Jesus and toHim.
Because Philippians, chapter 4,verse 6, says don't be anxious
(10:45):
about anything, but ineverything, by prayer and
supplication, with thanksgiving,let your request be made known
to God.
Don't fret about it, justremind yourself that you've
given it to God, but he's goingto deal with it.
Remember, don't dwell on it,just state it and forget it,
(11:09):
because God's got it.
And then the third thing is topith it.
Do.
Philippians, chapter 4, 8through 9.
Finally, brothers, whatever istrue, whatever is honorable,
whatever is just, whatever ispure, whatever is lovely,
whatever is commendable, ifthere is any excellence, if
(11:33):
there is anything worthy ofpraise, think about these things
, what you have learned andreceived and heard and seen in
me.
Practice these things, and theGod of peace will be with you.
Saints, think about somethingelse that you're grateful for or
(11:54):
what you've learned.
Remember you're going to do oneor two things Prevent or permit
.
Prevent the bad things by notdwelling on them, or permit good
thoughts by thinking on thingsthat help you.
So say that's how you deal withintrusive thoughts by
(12:19):
recognizing, praying andpivoting.
Recognize that it is oneintrusive thought, praying to
God about the thought, and thenpivot by thinking about
something else.
Now, that has helped me a lot.
I pray it does the same for you.
(12:40):
Recognize, pray and pivot.
Now here's five ways you canmanage intrusive thoughts.
One consistent spiritualpractices.
Y'all you gotta have a habit.
You gotta have consistenthabits, consistent spiritual
disciplines like reading yourBible, studying your Bible,
(13:01):
meditating on your Bible,memorizing scriptures.
Saints, when I said earlier topivot, why do you need something
to pivot to?
When you have scripture as aregular part of your life?
The Holy Spirit has somethingto burp up in your head that
will help you pivot accordingly.
Remember Isaiah 55, 8 through9?
(13:24):
.
God's thoughts are our thoughts.
His is greater, so put enoughof Him in you by daily and
intentionally following Jesussteps, a spending time with God
in His Word, y'all.
That's what this podcast isabout hanging out with Jesus so
(13:46):
you can declutter your mind.
Number two it's prayerjournaling, and this is one that
I do.
This is where you release yourintrusive thoughts and how God
is helping you to do so.
No, it's not your time tocomplain and just get out all
(14:09):
that.
You know what the thought isand all this mess is no, no, no,
no, no.
This is a time where you say,lord, you know, I keep having
the same thought.
I can't get rid of it.
You know I need your help.
(14:30):
I'm praying, lord, you hear mycry?
This is a time where youpraying to the Lord about that
situation.
Don't get stuck on saying, well, lord, this happened, that
happened.
I can't believe it, oh, mygoodness, thinking about this
again.
No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no,no, no.
(14:53):
This is where you just simplysay, lord, I can't handle this
anymore.
So please help me get rid ofthis thought.
What is the trigger?
What is the root cause of theproblem?
You know you start talking tothe Lord about things like this
(15:13):
because you're starting it'slike giving yourself permission
to forget about it and beginpivoting to trusting God.
If thinking about the future istriggering unwanted, intrusive
thoughts, then bring that beforethe Lord, because the Lord is
(15:38):
the one who directs your path.
Remember Proverbs 3, 5, 6, whenit says trust in the Lord with
all your heart and do not leanon your own understanding.
And all your ways, acknowledgehim and he will make your path
straight.
I put a link in the show notesfor those who participate in the
(16:04):
email newsletter on how toprayer turn.
So if you're interested, clickon the link below and become a
part of email newsletter.
That's just one of the thingsthat I put in the newsletter.
Third is physical activity.
Saint, get to dancing, walking,jogging, pick a ball.
(16:26):
I'm not trying to, but pick aball.
Take a self-defense class orpottery class.
You may want to check out theprior episode that I had with
Kelly Brinkman about pottery andhow it helps you to calm the
(16:46):
soul.
Saints, just do activities.
That involves more movementthan just coming in a hat.
Again, our goal isn't toeliminate intrusive thoughts,
but to manage them, because theyare a normal part of being a
human being.
The point is that you don'twant it to overtake your peace
(17:10):
of mind.
So get out and get some freshair.
Hey, go hiking, immerseyourself in nature.
If you got a backyard, just gooutside.
Listen to the sounds, smell,the newness of the air.
(17:32):
All these things will groundyou back into the presence.
So get outside, move, becausethat helps you manage those
intrusive thoughts.
And number four deep breathing.
This will cause you to focus onyour breathing and switch from
(17:54):
flight or fight to a state ofrelaxation.
This is one I try to do.
Often it's very hard for me,but I try.
It was difficult while I wasgoing through because you know
it would result in coughing andfor some reason you know my
(18:16):
anxiety level would get, willstart rising.
It's, like you know, triggeringmore stress.
But the more I remember to doit, the better it got.
But I'm still working on it tohelp keep me calm.
Number five keep a regularschedule.
(18:36):
Thanks, I can't tell you howimportant that is.
Keep a regular schedule.
Even when I get off schedule, Ican see it impacts my day.
Things just seem all off.
So keep a regular schedulebecause it reduces stress and
anxiety which can be triggered.
(18:59):
Say, routines are, for example,like keeping a regular wake up
and bedtime hour, eating mealsaround the same time, even
exercise around the same timeand spending time with the Lord.
And you're a routine in yourjournal, you know, before going
to bed, you know listening tothe Lord right before you wake
(19:23):
up and so just jumping out ofthe bed.
Now what I've noticed is thatin different seasons of your
life, your morning and yourevening routines, even your
midday routines, are sometimesrefined and adjusted.
And the more you become settledwithin that new season, the
(19:48):
less refining and adjustment isneeded.
But I'm also learning that,even though the time you do,
certain things can change.
But there's one thing thatremains to say having that quiet
(20:08):
time with the Lord,uninterrupted, that never
changes.
I mean, the time may change,the devotional may change, but
being the presence of the Lord,that doesn't change.
So, saint, there's five ways tomanage on one intrusive thought
(20:30):
Consistent spiritual practices,like reading your Bible before
going to bed.
Prayer journal like givingyourself time to unpack the mess
in your head before God.
Physical activity like walking,deep breathing and keeping a
(20:51):
regular routine like AM quiettime.
I need to stop here, listen,saints.
If the intrusive thoughts arebecoming persistent and
interfere with your day-to-daylife, then it's time to seek
professional help.
I did Sometimes.
(21:14):
A good therapist can help youget the clutter out of the way
so you can think straight, and agood Christian therapist Y'all
is priceless, saints.
We all need help from time totime.
Unwanted intrusive thoughts areclutter monsters which can stop
(21:38):
you from being all God's callto you to be.
Don't be afraid or embarrassedto seek help.
God's giving each and every oneof us different gifts and
talents for a reason, so seekout help when you need it.
Now I'm giving you some ideas ofhow to deal with and manage
(22:00):
unwanted intrusive thoughts, butalways, if it persists, get
help from a professional.
I heard Max Locato, who's anauthor and speaker, say you are
not a victim of your thoughts,but, by virtue of the Holy
(22:21):
Spirit, you are a victor overyour thoughts.
Let's pray, lord.
I pray that if my brother orsister is dealing with intrusive
thoughts, that you use thisepisode to help them recognize
it, practice how to deal with it, learn how to manage it and get
(22:46):
help if need.
I pray this episode helps themcome out of the clutter of
intrusive thoughts into theclarity of who you are to them
and they to you, and they comeout boldly, courageously and
with confidence so they can goand do what you call them to do.
(23:10):
In Jesus' name, I pray.
If you are new to this podcast,welcome.
Thanks for joining us.
If you believe that thispodcast is beneficial, please
share it, rate it and review iton whatever podcast platform you
are listening to right now.
This will help the podcastreach more people.
(23:30):
So until we meet again on theairways intentional and damn,
hang out with me, shalom.
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