Boxes—Taking Thoughts Captive

Are you in a box?

Maybe someone put you there because they can't deal with something in your past, so they box you in according to where you've been instead of seeing where you are today. Or maybe the person is just insecure and doesn't like how free you are, so they put you in a box to help them feel more in control.

Sometimes we put ourselves in boxes. Maybe we don't like who we are. And sometimes we can't stand the pain or the shame of what we've done, so we hide in a box, limiting our own freedom as a way to appease our guilt.

And then sometimes we may feel like our life is a box. Maybe marriage isn't what we thought it would be, or raising kids isn't the joy-filled experience we expected.  Maybe our dreams turned out to be a nightmares.

Whatever the reason, boxes are not from God. He is in the business of setting people free.

"So if the Son makes you free, you will be free indeed," (John 8:36 NASB).

Because many of the reasons we end up in boxes have to do with the state of our mind, which is driven by our thoughts, I came up with the idea of a thought-capturing box. You can use any type of box you want, but the important thing is to use it!

I have struggled,  for YEARS, with taking my thoughts captive (2 Corinthians 10:5). I like visual aids, so hopefully this will help me to be intentional in this area.

Use some index cards or pieces of paper, and every time you think a thought that makes you feel boxed in, or a thought that isn't edifying, write it down (seriously!) and put it in your thought-capturing box. Then pray over your box, affirming that a) you are taking that thought captive; and b) you will make your mind obey Christ. This is a way to put physical action to a mental activity.

If you try this and it helps you, please let me know!

If this post encouraged you, will you please share my link with others? You may also like what my friend, Kathleen, has to say.




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