What I Think vs. What God Thinks

Submitted by Jarvis Howe, M.A.

While I was searching for some inspiration for my blog post this week, I came across the image posted above and it immediately spoke to me. It’s human nature to have self-defeating thoughts. In counseling sessions, I have heard the thoughts on the left side of the image expressed innumerable times by countless people. I often work with people to “reframe” these negative thoughts and make them more like the thoughts that God says in the middle column.

I also came across a quote generally attributed to French philosopher Michel de Montaigne: “My life has been full of terrible misfortunes, most of which never happened.”

If you think about it, most of what we worry about and fret over ends up not being that big of a deal in the end. In fact, isn’t that what God is trying to tell us when he says things like “I will supply all your needs,” and “It will be worth it”? God also tells us these things through other scripture. Proverbs 3:5 instructs us to “trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding.” It is often hard for us to reframe our negative thoughts into positive thoughts based on our own understanding or on our own skills or powers. But thankfully, we have a mighty God who tells us that we don’t have to take on everything alone. He is here for us, and nothing is impossible for Him.