Stinking Thinking

It wasn’t an audible voice, but it was crystal clear:  “You have stinking thinking.”
This wasn’t the accusatory voice of the enemy.
This was the gentle voice that speaks softly to my heart.
I knew it was true.  I just didn’t know what to do about it.
We were surrounded by the quiet beauty of the mountains, and I had prayed this verse:

Psalm 5:3

In the morning Lord, you hear my voice; in the morning I lay my requests before you and wait expectantly.

I posted it on Instagram with the hashtag #bestill and #listen.

“You have stinking thinking.”
I heard it.  Loud and clear.
I still didn’t know what to do about it.
As we were leaving that morning, we took the Blue Ridge Parkway, and we kept passing several skunks.  We didn’t see them, but we knew they were near.   My youngest said “eeeeeewwww!  What is that smell??  It’s all inside our van!  Yuck!  Why does it keep coming in here?”
It reminded me that my stinking thinking permeates my being and it lingers just like that skunk smell.   It affects me not just in my mind, heart and soul, but it ultimately spills over into my relationships with others and more importantly my relationship with Christ.  It keeps me from doing things that I should do, and it makes me do things I shouldn’t do!
I really don’t want to have stinking thinking, so I am going to use three R’s to work on this.   Will you join me?
Let’s recognize the stinking thinking and reject the thoughts by replacing them with the TRUTH of God’s Word.
I am sure I can come up with many examples of my smelly thoughts, but let’s start with THE BIG ONE:
I worry what others think, and what they could think, and what they might think, and what they should think.  Is that stinking or what?  How can I possibly know what others are thinking and why do I waste anytime thinking about it?   What does me worrying about it change?  Why do I care?

TRUTH:

Galations 1:10 

Am I now trying to win the approval of human beings, or of God? Or am I trying to please people? If I were still trying to please people, I would not be a servant of Christ. 

I assume.  A lot.  Maybe he is upset with me. Maybe she is mad.  I don’t think they like me.  I think they are talking about me.  I should believe it only when I know it’s true, not assume it is true.  Don’t assume anything.  Go with what I know.  Period.  Ask or clarify if necessary.

TRUTH:

Proverbs 3:5-6 (MSG) 

 Trust God from the bottom of your heart;
    don’t try to figure out everything on your own.
Listen for God’s voice in everything you do, everywhere you go;
    he’s the one who will keep you on track.
Don’t assume that you know it all.

I measure my worth with a virtual measuring stick at times.  The virtual world we live in makes me daily and hourly consider how others perceive and value me.  Friends, followers, likes, retweets, favorites, and other responses or lack of responses are not the real measuring stick.  The real measuring stick that determines my worth is the WORD!  I am who God says I am, and with Him, there are no clicks required.  He created me and he knows every detail about me!

TRUTH:

Luke 12:7 

Indeed, the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.

Stinking Thinking.  It didn’t get that way overnight and it’s not going away overnight.  But, I’m starting to call it out.  Just recently, I went to do something nice for someone else.  Right before I did it – this is what I heard in my head “If you do that for her, others will think why didn’t you do it for them?  Maybe you will hurt their feelings?  Maybe you will embarrass her?  People are going to think you are doing this for attention. Should you really?”

Yes.  That is just a glimpse of 30 seconds of the noise.  But I recognized it this time, and I pressed on.  I did it.  I ignored the smelly thoughts, and God blessed it.  He used it.

I’m letting God change my thinking.

TRUTH:

Romans 12:2

Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.

I want my thoughts to please Him, and to permeate my being and linger.  I want them to ultimately spill over into my relationships with others and more importantly my relationship with Christ.  I want my thoughts to help me do the things I should, and keep me from doing the things I shouldn’t!  I want my mind, heart and soul to be a pleasing aroma.

TRUTH:

2 Corinthians 2:14-15 (NIV) 

But thanks be to God, who always leads us as captives in Christ’s triumphal procession and uses us to spread the aroma of the knowledge of him everywhere. For we are to God the pleasing aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing.

What about you?  Do you struggle with stinking thinking too, or have you in the past?  What verses help to remind you to be a pleasing aroma?  Click to comment and share below!   Join us as we recognize, reject and replace our stinking thinking with the TRUTH of God’s Word!