On Guarding Our Thoughts

What narratives or stories do you create in your mind? Are they true or mere products of your insecurities and fears? Do they stem from childhood experiences that shape your sense of self, either positively or negatively? Are these thoughts uplifting or do they lead to feelings of depression? Are they real, or just impostors?

Friends, the stories we create in our minds each day possess the power to strengthen or weaken us; they can inspire, motivate, or even destroy our spirit. This is why it is crucial to be aware of these narratives, discerning whether they are beneficial or harmful, true or false. If they erode our hopes, make us feel unworthy or inferior, hinder our relationships, and rob us of joy and zest for life, then they do not come from God. Instead, they originate from His enemy, Satan.

As believers in a loving, forgiving, and affirming God, we cannot allow Satan to make us feel worthless or insignificant. Remember, God created us good, as the story of creation in the Bible recounts.

In this time when many are experiencing depression, hopelessness, and anxiety due to a world rife with divisions, conflicts, wars, and diseases, we must cultivate a positive and hopeful mindset, guarding our thoughts against the negative voices of the Enemy, who may whisper that we are nothing, that life is not worth living, and that God does not care or even exist. We must plant in our minds seeds of loving kindness for both ourselves and others, as well as confidence in God and our inherent human potential.

Again, remember that from the beginning, God created us good and made us partners in His creative power. After He created wild animals and various birds, God brought them to the man to see what he would call them. Recognizing that these creatures were not enough to provide the man with good company, He created a woman from the man’s ribs to demonstrate just how much He cares for him. From the very moment of creation, God has always had our best interests and those of the world in mind.

Therefore, the greatest narrative we must hold onto is that we are inherently good, and that everything will ultimately be good, for this reflects God’s will for us. This is the fundamental reason He sent His beloved Son into the world—to redeem us from sin and death, to rescue us from the snares of His enemy, whose mission is to destroy our hope, divide us, sever our loving relationships, and bring chaos to both the world and our society.

Friends, let’s guard our thoughts. Let’s dismiss any thoughts that stir fears, doubts, and depression. Instead, let’s listen solely to the voice of God, who sees the goodness within our hearts.

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The opinions, beliefs and viewpoints expressed by the author do not necessarily reflect the opinions, beliefs and viewpoints of the Asian Journal, its management, editorial board and staff.

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Fr. Rodel “Odey” Balagtas is the pastor of Incarnation Church in Glendale, California.