The Power of Our Thoughts: Breaking Free from Depression

So, today marks the six year anniversary of a good friend of mine who tried to take his life. He was a well know athlete in the action sports world and his attempt has left him an invalid. He suffered from the silent killer, depression. Depression is real and when people suffer from it, it’s to be taken seriously...it needs to be talked about. “As a man thinketh in his heart, so is he.” Proverbs 23:7The Bible makes this concept of the power of our thoughts plain and simple: as a person thinks on the inside, this is who they will become on the outside. Our character becomes the complete sum of all of our thoughts. As the plant grows from and could not exist without the seed, so every act of a person springs from the hidden seeds of thought. A thought is a seed; this seed grows not only into an action but also into an emotion. In fact, if you are in emotional turmoil this can be a great thermometer to indicate that your predominant way of thinking is off center and that negative, harmful thoughts are influencing your life. The soul attracts those desires which it secretly harbors, those things which it loves, and that which it fears. We do not attract the life that we want, but rather that which we are. The soul attracts that which it secretly harbors. We think that our thoughts can be kept in the secret cave of our mind, but they cannot. We believe, “These are just thoughts, how can they affect my life?” The thoughts of our lives become the habitual patterns of our lives. I encourage you to decide today to do as Paul encourages us in Philippians 4:8, when he tells the Philippians to “Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.”Philippians 4:8 ESVDecide today to live free from negative and harmful thoughts and to replace them with God thoughts. Please, if your suffering from depression, get help. If you know someone who is, help them. Show them the love and grace that God has called you to...It could save a life. Be nice. Grace wins.