“I’m not good enough to speak in front of a group.” That thought felt true at the time. It held me captive when God called me deeper into my purpose. I’d always been confident in writing and in teaching or coaching others, whether one-on-one or in small groups, but public speaking was far outside my comfort zone. I allowed what I thought to hold me back again and again.

Eventually, choosing obedience despite doubt, my thinking began to change: “If God calls me to do something, He can use me just as I am.”

With this new belief, I finally found the courage to create my first workshop, something that had been on my heart to offer to the residents of a local homeless transition shelter. I never would’ve taken that step if I’d kept accepting that old thought and letting it define my decisions. That one shift in my mind allowed me to step more fully into what God was calling me to do and shifted the direction of my life.

My experience might be similar to yours. Believing an untrue thought or falling into a pattern of negative thinking can affect your life in unintended or undesired ways. We don’t always recognize that a thought is holding us back, and even if we do, it isn’t always easy to put into words.

Some thoughts only resurface in certain situations, while others linger for years. Even when we make progress, those thoughts return. Even when we know they’re not true, they distract us. Even when we know God’s Word, they still try to make us question it.

When we’ve grown used to our thoughts chipping away at our freedom in Christ, peace, and potential, it’s easy to believe they define us and determine the course of our lives.  Our thought life is complex and life-altering, and it can leave us wondering: Can we really capture our thoughts? What you believe about that matters more than you may realize.

How Thoughts Shape the Life We Live

The thoughts we repeat through our words, choices, and actions form the patterns we live by. If we entertain thoughts that hinder us, they take root and hold us back from the life God intends. If we embrace encouraging thoughts, they bear fruit that transforms us from the inside out, helping us become who we’re meant to be. When we entrust our thoughts to Christ, aligning them with His mind and model, we learn to discern which thoughts to hold on to and which to release. What we think influences both our inner and outer lives. 

Unchecked thinking can lead to fear, doubt, confusion, and discouragement. When we manage our mindset, we can live with greater