I hope this day has been filled with a “knowing” of God’s goodness. Without it, our thoughts are surely misguided.

 As I settle in to write, many topics come to mind again. There is a question the Lord has prompted me to consider, and today I believe I should share it with you, and we can contemplate it together. It is the simple question of “Who said that?” A simple question, but it is of utmost importance.

Recent studies used functional MRI brain imaging to count “thought worms”, or transitions between distinct thoughts. It is an odd name, but I believe it is a visual picture of the transition between distinct thoughts. These studies, using newer technology, found that participants had a median of 6.5 thought transitions per minute. The estimated thoughts per day that an average person has is more than 6,000. The much older estimate was around ten times that much, but many sources say this is not supported by scientific evidence.

I personally believe my thoughts are closer to the older estimate of 60,000! Could that be due to my age? 😊I’ve even considered a blog or a poem titled, “I think, I think too much!” LOL! Maybe that is the definition of an overthinker. What do you think? 🙂

Regardless of the exact number and how I see myself, I will move on to share a few key points of what the “experts” agreed on about our thinking.

Although there are a lot of worms moving around in there, a large percentage of our daily thoughts are repeated. Probably because we didn’t get it right the first time, so we have to do a rerun. Or maybe we got a positive thought mixed in there and have to repeat it numerous times to connect to those little things called synapses. Obviously, I am not a psychiatrist or a scientist; therefore, I will stick with the researchers’ findings. 😊

So their first key point was the repeated thoughts. One source states that 95% of thoughts are the same as the previous day. That is a lot of reruns, whether positive, negative, or a mixture of the two! Do you recognize this pattern in your thoughts?

The second is the impact on our well-being. The content of these thoughts, whether positive or negative, has a major impact on our mental and emotional health. Can you imagine the effects on our mental, physical, and spiritual health if 95% of our thoughts running through our minds every day are negative? On the same token, how about the impact of 95% positive? Can we believe for the 95% positive?

Although the exact number varies, it is theorized that three positive experiences or thoughts are needed to counterbalance one negative experience or thought. I’ve heard of ratios with numbers as high as ten (or above) positive to one negative, depending on the individuals and situations.

The third is the quality over quantity. The sheer volume of thoughts is less important than their nature and how they affect our mood and behavior. So maybe I don’t “think too much” after all. I must evaluate the health of those thoughts. Did the Lord say that? If so, it is trustworthy and good to eat the fruit thereof (healthy for my mind, body, and spirit).

Therefore, this brings me to my simple, but utmost important question, “Who said that?”, and the infallible Word of God from The Expert…

Simply put, when a thought comes to my mind, if I apply this question and answer it with what God says, then I will know if it is from the Lord or the enemy, positive or negative. Sounds simple enough, doesn’t it? But it is known that man’s nature is to lean toward the negative. The research also indicates that the average person’s thoughts are 75% negative! That’s why the transformation from the carnal nature (old man) is by the renewing of our mind. Renew our minds to what God says, freeing us from the “old negative” way of thinking. Romans 12:2.

Or maybe those thoughts come from words spoken to us by others, you know, those flawed, misguided souls, much like us at times. That is why the Lord’s Word says in Proverbs 18:21 that  “Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruits”. The NLT says, “The tongue can bring death or life; those who love to talk will reap the consequences.” This means that words can build up, heal, and encourage (bring life), or they can tear down, hurt, and discourage (bring death). This Proverb reminds people to be mindful of their speech because they are accountable for the consequences (good or bad) of their words, which can shape their own lives and the lives of others. It is revelatory to know this! This should absolutely cause us to think before speaking, right? Do we want to be partakers of death words? I choose life, and I believe you do too. So, Holy Spirit, please help us with our thoughts that lead to words that shape lives.

Remember, the battleground is for our minds…We are in a battle with the enemy, and this is why the Lord has given us the Whole Armor of God, Ephesians 6:10-18. Let’s not go to battle unprotected!

 And on the same lines, here is another profound scripture about our thoughts. It is the first part of Proverbs 23:7 NKJV, “For as he thinks in his heart, so is he.” This emphasizes that a person’s inner thought and deepest convictions shape their true nature, behavior, and character. It can also shape a person’s circumstances, achievements, and overall life. That’s pretty powerful, wouldn’t you say?

Here’s another powerful quote to consider…

“Watch your thoughts, they become your words.”

”Watch your words, they become your actions.”

“Watch your actions, they become habits.”

 “Watch your habits, they become character.”

“Watch your character, it becomes your destiny.”

As I consider the Lord’s question, “Who said that?” I have a deeper “knowing” of God’s goodness through His guidance in our thoughts. For me, with the Holy Spirit Helper, when one of those multitudes of thoughts goes shooting through my mind, I can quickly ascertain its value by asking that simple, but all-important question. If that thought lines up with what God’s Word says and His character, it is priceless. I know it will become my words (words of life). My words will become my actions (living for Him, life with purpose, Kingdom building). My habits are the results of my actions that become my character (more like Jesus). And my destiny is eternity with Him. Who said that? Why, He did! In His Holy Word! And I eat the Fruit thereof. Thank You, Lord!

The Scriptures are abundant with the answers to “Who said that?” Hopefully, this is just the beginning of your search for them for yourself. His Words are full of Grace, Love, Mercy, Truth, and Life as ours should be.

Thank you for contemplating this question with me. And if you would, please read my poem titled ‘Kind Words”, in Inspire Me pages 34-35.

“So take some time and give it some thought, prayerfully ask what your words have brought”…

(Remember, those words originate from our thoughts.)

 I am reminded of a report given by my sister, Karen, whose ministry team brings the Word of God into bars in the Houston area. There was someone in the congregation who had a copy of Inspire Me and requested that the pastor read this particular poem aloud to the congregation. The words had such an impact on a certain man’s heart that he began to cry. He had not experienced the power of kind words until that moment. The 75% negative was overpowered in just one moment as the Holy Spirit moved. Praise God! That’s a powerful ratio, wouldn’t you agree?

Sincerely,

Reba

P.S. A.W. Tozer stated, “What comes to our minds when we think about God is the most important thing about us.”