Just Continue That Thought...

A thought by H. Norman Wright from his book,  When the Past Won't Let You Go   (p. 48). Harvest House Publishers. Kindle Edition.  (Click on the book title to go to Amazon to buy the book.) Yes they do. Norman shares, " Jesus said, 'A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and an evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of' (Luke 6:45)." Norman says, "No one has to be a helpless victim of their thoughts—even if they were stamped on their minds thirty years ago. Again, look at the promises in Scripture. Paul wrote, 'God did not give us a spirit of timidity or cowardice or fear, but [He has given us a spirit] of power and of love and of sound judgment and personal discipline [abilities that result in a calm, well-balanced mind and self-control]' (2 Timothy 1:7 AMP, brackets in original). Scriptural teachings about our thoughts aren’t just informative, the...

A thought by H. Norman Wright from his book,  When the Past Won't Let You Go   (p. 47). Harvest House Publishers. Kindle Edition.  (Click on the book title to go to Amazon to buy the book.)   Yes there is! Norman says, "Our thoughts can also create a calmness that helps control our emotions and rein them in before they spin out of control. Every positive or happy thought spurs our brains to action, releasing chemicals that make us feel good. These help us become a today and tomorrow person and break loose from the past. Take this statement: 'I am a today and tomorrow person,' and repeat it out loud ten times every day. We’ll experience a difference in mood and attitude." He goes on, ".. thoughts follow specific pathways in the brain. They don’t bounce around randomly landing somewhere. Each pathway was created for a specific purpose. God created our brains to function this way. This memory stage is similar to a library. It’s responsible for the first emotiona...

  A thought by H. Norman Wright from his book,  When the Past Won't Let You Go   (p. 45). Harvest House Publishers. Kindle Edition.  (Click on the book title to go to Amazon to buy the book.)   It really can be. Norman says, "We get caught up in the 'what ifs.' Perhaps we’re interested in what can go wrong in life. We’re fascinated by the possibilities. And when a possibility is discovered, we latch on with all of the 'what ifs' our minds can create." He continues, "Worry is a special kind of fear. To create it, we elongate fear with two things—anticipation and memory. We then infuse it with our imagination and feed it with emotion. Then we become 'our own creation.' In its positive sense, anxiety is a God-given instinct that alerts us to fearful situations and prepares us to respond appropriately. But worry can also be like a car alarm system that won’t turn off. "Pastor Earl Lee illustrates the difference: Worry is like racing an automo...

A thought by H. Norman Wright from his book,  When the Past Won't Let You Go   (p. 43). Harvest House Publishers. Kindle Edition.  (Click on the book title to go to Amazon to buy the book.)   Yes, they do! Norman says, "To change thought patterns is not a simple step-by-step process or an overnight event. Our brains weren’t designed to make sudden, permanent changes. "The brain follows patterns of established neural connections (habits) built over the years. This unique organ of the body—with its billions of neurons and millions of pathways, circuits, and memory cells—doesn’t erase or 'write over' what it’s stored. So when we begin changing patterns, we should expect the old ways of thinking and talking to challenge the new ways. Change is possible; it just takes time and effort. He goes on, "Our thoughts influence our character, shape our attitudes, determine our behavior, affect us spiritually, and even influence our immune systems. Our thoughts create emot...

A thought by H. Norman Wright from his book,  When the Past Won't Let You Go   (p. 42). Harvest House Publishers. Kindle Edition.  (Click on the book title to go to Amazon to buy the book.) And it's not easy. Norman says, " We’ve tried different approaches or programs, prayed about it, been prayed over, and so forth. But we still struggle. It’s not that easy." He goes on, "If a new thought coincides with what we already believe about ourselves, it will be accepted by us with open arms. If it doesn’t, it will have a difficult time finding a place to fit in and be accepted. Isn’t it interesting how we even resist thoughts that are new, positive, and in line with biblical thinking? We resist giving up old mental messages because we’re comfortable with them, even if they’re not the best, not true, not helpful, or keep us stuck in the past. Sound familiar? I’m guilty of doing that. In my office I have filing cabinets filled with files. In my mind, I probably have hund...

A thought by H. Norman Wright from his book,  When the Past Won't Let You Go   (p. 39). Harvest House Publishers. Kindle Edition.  (Click on the book title to go to Amazon to buy the book.) Our thoughts are so very important in making our life enjoyable and productive. Norman says, " They’re glimpses of ideas. Whether you choose something to think about or you don’t, your brain is always on. If you don’t choose your thoughts and direct them somewhere, your thoughts will wander. Thoughts are simple. They’re basic, but it’s hard to measure them. They direct our lives. They impact our mind, our body, and our emotions. Long and involved or short and direct, they influence our lives." He goes on, "What we think affects our bodies. In fact, in the next minute what I’m asking you to think about will create a response in your body. Take a couple of breaths and relax. Now, think of a lemon. Imagine cutting the lemon in two. Scrape out a couple of the seeds. Hold the lemon up ...

A thought by H. Norman Wright from his book,  When the Past Won't Let You Go   (p. 23). Harvest House Publishers. Kindle Edition.  (Click on the book title to go to Amazon to buy the book.) Parent memories is one kind of memory that really can impact us.  Norman says, " I’ve talked with too many people who have denied the impact of their past, which limited their ability to heal and move forward. As our parent memories unfold and are identified, life changes can occur. These memories affect the way we relate to others, how we see ourselves, and how we perceive God. "Memory is made up of bits and pieces of our experiences. They are not just factual events. It’s more like a jigsaw puzzle that includes feelings, images, perspectives, and fragments. We spread them on a table and piece them together for our life story. This history can be used to help us make sense of our lives. It doesn’t matter who our parents were; it matters who we remember they were." He goes on, ...

A thought by H. Norman Wright from his book,  When the Past Won't Let You Go   (p. 20). Harvest House Publishers. Kindle Edition.  (Click on the book title to go to Amazon to buy the book.) Yes, we are! Norman says, " Memories of having been loved. Memories of having been a success. Memories of pleasure. Without these and other healing memories, we remain raw and broken. Very often, a victim’s answer to the question 'When were you last happy?' is 'Never' or 'I don’t remember.' The fact that their lives can be different from the brokenness and pain of the moment isn’t remembered or realized; therefore, achieving that pain-free state isn’t considered an option. The task of healing, then, is in part recovering memories that are healing in nature.( 1 )" He goes on, "Memories are not just random thoughts. They exist for a reason. The bottom line is their purpose is to positively influence the present and future based on what we’ve experienced in th...

A thought by H. Norman Wright from his book,  When the Past Won't Let You Go   (p. 19). Harvest House Publishers. Kindle Edition.  (Click on the book title to go to Amazon to buy the book.) But is that possible? Norman says, " I’ve been asked, 'Can’t you do something about these memories to get rid of them?' My clients want me to function like a giant eraser. Short of severe trauma, I don’t think there is such a thing as a memory eraser. Memories can be dulled by chemical substance use, but that is temporary and eventually causes more problems. Some individuals vacillate between a 'rid the memory' agenda to a 'just forget the past' agenda. Within some Christian circles, a common response to people dominated by the past is Paul’s admonition recorded in Philippians 3:13 (NLT): 'Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead…' I like what Robert D. Jones said about what is possible since our goal as believers is Christlikeness: 'The...

A thought by H. Norman Wright from his book,  When the Past Won't Let You Go   (p. 15). Harvest House Publishers. Kindle Edition.  (Click on the book title to go to Amazon to buy the book.) This thought is so true! Norman says, " This phrase is used throughout Scripture as a turning point, a line of demarcation between peril and rescue, chaos and control, fall and redemption, hurt and healing. "• The psalmist in Psalm 73:26 NLT: 'My health may fail, and my spirit may grow weak, but God remains the strength of my heart; he is mine forever.' "• Jesus in Matthew 19:26 NLT: 'Humanly speaking, it is impossible. But with God everything is possible.'  "• The apostle Paul in Acts 13:29-30 NLT: 'When they had done all that the prophecies said about him, they took him down from the cross and placed him in a tomb. But Go d raised him from the dead!" Norman continues, "Once we were dead in sin, but God made us alive. Once we were captive to ...

  A thought by H. Norman Wright from his book,  When the Past Won't Let You Go   (p. 10). Harvest House Publishers. Kindle Edition.  (Click on the book title to go to Amazon to buy the book.) This can be so true. Norman says, "I’ve heard a number of reasons why some don’t want to face their old wounds.  • Some don’t want to admit that what happened to them actually happened.  • Some believe if they admit to the hurt and pain of the past, they are in some way different or damaged and not useful to others. They want to see themselves as okay, but they don’t. They definitely don’t want others to know to avoid being judged or offered unwanted advice.  • Some are afraid to confront the painful past. That’s understandable. There is fear that experiencing the pain again might be too much to bear.  • There is also the fear that confronting the past may require change, which opens the door to failure." He goes on, "The reality is that to move from being a ...

A thought by H. Norman Wright from his book, When the Past Won't Let You Go   (p. 8). Harvest House Publishers. Kindle Edition.  (Click on the book title to go to Amazon to buy the book.) Yes we are, but... Norman says, " But many live in the expectation of the future. For many, these two times are permanent. Do you ever wonder why we waste so much time not living in the present? 'Many are distracted by the there and then rather than the here and now .' ( 1 )" He goes on, "Consider the thoughts of a man whose past could have destroyed him: We bear the imprint of the past as it is, not as it might have been. What actually happened is irreversible, and so are the consequences. In that sense we are powerless. We can spend the rest of our days reviewing and wishing and imagining and scheming, but we will never be able to alter what has already happened. The past is simply there, influencing everything we do. The best we can do—in fact, the only thing we can do—i...