An article I read today on the Nautilus website (nautilus.us) told the story of two very different siblings, one a designer of rock climbing walls that is able to move quickly past misfortunes and another a Ph.D. immunology student that often worries herself to exhaustion. The former is very attached to the outside world while the latter lives within her own head (Sedivy, 2015).
A study conducted in 2010 revealed that people spend half their time thinking about something other than what they are currently doing. A wandering mind allows one to plan for the future and is associated strongly with creativity. Mind-wandering also leads to distracted mistakes and is possibly connected to neuroticism, a personality style that is defined by anxiety, obsessive negative thoughts, and depression. Adam Perkins, a clinical psychologist at King’s College London, argue that “the engine of neuroticism is inward thought” (Sedivy, 2015).
1 Peter 5:6-8 reads, “So humble yourselves under the mighty power of God, and at the right time he will lift you up in honor. Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you. Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour.” (NLT) It’s easy to become trapped within our own heads, sometimes worrying about things that will never happen. The enemy uses our distraction in the same way a lion takes advantage of distracted prey. When you find yourself consumed by negative thoughts, breathe deeply and consider the moment. What is in your control? What must you leave in God’s hands? There is always hope, no matter how troubling your circumstances. Get out of your head and live. – JMW
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