by Tim Suddeth @TimSuddeth
I get some of my most interesting thoughts while I’m walking my two dogs. One day recently, I imagined the thrill of standing before a crowd of writers giving a keynote or teaching a master class or something similar. And even in the daydream, while I was enjoying the high of doing something I enjoy, one of those negative thoughts wriggled into my mind. You know what I mean? My joy, even in my imagination, crashed.
Isn’t it amazing how subtly and quickly it happens? I mean those thoughts that surprise you. Has nothing to do with what you are thinking, but you recognize it, its history, and its meaning immediately. It can happen before you sit down at the laptop, or when you’re doing your edits. Your writing isn’t good enough. It doesn’t measure up to someone else. Who was I kidding to think I could do this?
Sometimes it seems we have had these same negative thoughts so often; they’ve become like pets. The growly, nippy kind.
I’ve heard successful writers and speakers admit they battled the same thing. The famous English preacher, Charles Spurgeon, used to have paralyzing bouts of doubt after preaching on Sundays to multiple pack houses in London.
The thought that snuck into my head had nothing to do with my imagined talk. (Which was spectacular, by the way.) It occurred 25 years ago. And there’s nothing I can do about it today. Still, it tags me, a negativity scar that likes to flare up occasionally.
I know I’m not the only one who carries these emotional scars. The underlying issue is behind us. In the past. Yet they still strip us of the courage and energy to move forward. To take a new opportunity. To, as Jabez said in his prayer, “enlarge my border.”
What should a writer do when they are attacked by doubt?
1. Identify it
In 2 Corinthians 10: 5, Paul urges us to “Take every thought captive.” Sometimes we don’t have control over the thoughts that slip into our minds. But we don’t have to pick at the scab. We don’t have to linger on it. I’ve found that the longer I allow the unsolicited thought to fester, the more damage it does and the harder it is to kick out.
But we often have some self-doubts, or even unrepented sins, that we like to pick at. We won’t let them go. We may even think we deserve the pain. Maybe we think the scar is who we really are.
Why is it so easy to think the worst of ourselves? We would never say these things to a friend, or even a stranger, so why is it okay to say them to ourselves?
2. Isolate it
Once we recognize the negative thought, we need to pause and isolate it. The thought I had while I imagined talking to a group had nothing to do with now. The longer I let the thought, the scar, stay, the less energy I have to put into the positive I was doing. And the more strength I give to my doubt. How many hours or days have we lost our joy or our courage to do something we enjoyed or felt called to do because we let a negative memory rob us of our strength and confidence?
But when I recognized that it was only pulling me down, I consciously considered it. Was it true? Was it helpful? Was it loving? If not…
3. Eject it
I know. It doesn’t start with an ‘I’. But I’m an old codger, and the picture of ejecting an eight track in my brother’s ’69 Camaro was too good to pass up. Eject it from our minds. Get it out so it won’t prevent us from reaching our goals and dreams.
Maybe I should have put “eject and replace.” Because that’s what it takes. It’s like one of those musical earworms. You know, when a snippet of a song gets stuck in your brain and it won’t go away. The best way to get rid of it is to listen to another catchy tune.
And that is what we must do to take our negative thoughts captive. We have to replace them with positive thoughts.
Thankfully, we can find plenty of positive thoughts by looking at God’s love for us. First, and most unbelievable, He loves you and me (John 3:16, 1 John 4:19). Second, He has a plan for each of us (Jeremiah 29:11). And third, it’s a good one (Romans 8:28). With endorsements like these, there shouldn’t be anything that can hold us back.
So, when you’re blindsided by a negative from your past, take these three steps: identify it, isolate it, and eject and replace it. Then continue following God’s call on your heart.
Why is this so important? I’ll let this quote from author Christina Patterson sum it up.
“Our thoughts lead to our beliefs, which lead to our actions, which lead to the quality of our lives. Our thoughts have too great of an impact for us not to guard them and keep our mind on God’s will.”
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As always, a fantastic, timely reminder, Tim. The image of ejecting that 8-track brought it all home. Keep up the great work.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Jay. I appreciate that.
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