Have you ever considered how much the things we think about affect our lives, either positively or negatively?
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Famed physician Ben Carson had an uncontrolled temper as a young man, to the point that he almost hit his mother. Ben did hit a boy in the hallway at school and another time threw a rock at a boy and broke his glasses. Every time he told himself that he didn’t mean to hurt anyone and could control his temper.
Finally, he got angry with his best friend for changing the station on the radio, whipped out his switchblade and threw it at him. The blade hit his friend in the stomach but broke when it connected with the large metal belt buckle he wore.
Ben almost killed his best friend and almost ruined his life because he couldn’t control his temper. He finally realized what a problem he had and spent four hours praying and asking God to heal his anger. After that, he never had a problem with anger again. Imagine what the world may have missed if Ben Carson hadn’t done that.
I realized after reading that story that it isn’t just temper that saps my energy, it’s whenever I let my emotions run wild. My husband can be late for dinner and I’ve already imagined all kinds of terrible scenarios and how I’ll cope with them. As well as upsetting me, allowing my thoughts to have free rein is a big waste of time. And the majority of the things we imagine never come to pass!
In the book Never Again, the author says:
“Wherever you go, there you are.
Whatever you own, you are still the same person.
Whoever you are with, you are still you.
Wherever you work, you are still the same person.
If I hate my life, moving my same life to another building is not going to help.”
That reminded me of a time in my early twenties. My marriage had just ended and I was all ready to pack up and move hundreds of miles away, to a place where I didn’t know anyone. My wise mother advised me not to, that the grass wouldn’t be any greener somewhere else. Thankfully I listened.
Another aspect of the power of our thoughts comes from a daily devotional called “Come Away My Beloved” by Frances J. Roberts.
She says: “Worry is an actively destructive force. Anxiety produces tension, and tension is the road to pain. Fear is devastating to the physical well-being of the body. Anger throws poison into the system that no antibiotic can ever counteract.
Resentments and ill will bring about more arthritis than is caused by the wrong diet. More asthma is caused by repressed fury than by pollen or cat fur. Ten minutes of unbridled temper can waste enough strength to do a half-day of work.”
I know from experience that Ms Roberts is right. If I get really upset about something I end up feeling totally drained physically. I also know that it’s impossible for me to be thankful and negative at the same time.
As you go about your daily life today, I hope your thoughts uplift and encourage you, and as a result, others will also be encouraged by you too.
All the best,
Carol
