One of the greatest enemies in our battle for emotional intelligence is an idea known as intrusive thinking. Intrusive thoughts are unwanted and often distressing images that can overwhelm people with negative and fearful concerns about a multitude of issues. For some people, intrusive thoughts are infrequent and only minimally invasive, but for others, they can be frequent and charged with emotional provocations. They can be very difficult to manage.
Frequent and intense intrusive thinking can be linked to such conditions as obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), eating disorders, or post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). It can manifest as worries, fears, or self-critical thoughts. Intrusive thinking is a primary hallmark of a newly defined emotional issue known as “Imposter Syndrome.” Imposter syndrome can devastate the emotional lives of pastors, teachers, and even husbands, wives, and parents as they struggle to shake thoughts critical of their skills or performance. Groundless fears of inadequacy can cause anxiety and stress, which debilitate confidence and the ability to function well within normal skill sets.
Emotional intelligence requires victory against intrusive thinking. Unregulated thoughts can bounce around inside our heads like ping-pong balls in a windstorm. We might struggle with focusing on important and necessary thoughts that we count on to manage our daily lives, while at the same time, we may be experiencing a deluge of unimportant and unnecessary thoughts that distract us from doing the things we ought and need to accomplish. Living in a world where intrusive thoughts rule can be infuriating. Emotional outbursts are common for those who struggle with capturing loose thoughts. Intrusive thoughts are a primary concern for those who feel they may be “going crazy.” The feelings of helplessness connected to intrusive thoughts are frustrating and crippling.
For followers of Christ, intrusive thinking can challenge our faith or character, but self-compassion and biblical understanding can help us to find victory. We are warned that we have an enemy who is a master of using our thinking against us. Peter warns us that we ought to “Be sober-minded and watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour” (I Peter 5:8 ESV). Jesus spoke to the nature of the power of the devil as he interferes in our lives by saying that “When he (Satan) lies, he speaks out of his own character, for he is a liar and the father of lies” (John 8:44b ESV). If intrusive thinking is ruled by unbiblical lies, we must battle against those thoughts by taking them captive to obedience in Christ Jesus. Paul speaks directly of this issue in his second letter to the Corinthian church, “We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ” (II Corinthians 10:5 ESV). Not every thought that is rolling around in the mind of a follower of Christ is legitimate or true. We have a responsibility to capture unbiblical thinking and to make those unbiblical thoughts slaves to Christ Jesus.
Satan speaks lies into our minds at the same time the Holy Spirit desires to cleanse us with the washing water of the Word, which saturates us with truth. A line from the 1980’s Contemporary Christian Music songster, Steve Taylor, expressed it this way, “If the Bible doesn’t back it, it seems quite clear, perhaps it was the devil that whispered in your ear.” Indeed, the first work of capturing unbiblical thinking is to learn to distinguish the words of the Good Shepard from those of the thief. Paul encourages us to fill our minds with only the best of biblical instruction. He says in Philippians 4:8 and 9 that we need to intentionally think about true and noble things. We must focus upon right, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent, and praiseworthy instruction. If we can put these things into practice, we will experience the presence of the peace of God over our hearts and minds.
Some Practical Steps
Awareness and acknowledgment. When overwhelmed by intrusive thoughts, our natural inclination is to deny these thoughts by pushing them away. This does not work with cockroaches in our kitchen in the middle of the night, and it does not work with obsessive and nagging thinking. Capturing thoughts means naming your thoughts. These thoughts are lies, and we do not need to fear them. Write them down. Compare them to the truth. An obsessive lie that tells you that you are a failure needs to be confronted with scripture, where Jesus assures you of such things as the truth that says you are the light of the world and the salt of the earth.
Prayer and meditation. Once we have named some obtrusive thoughts, capture them completely through prayer and meditation. The old standby is to apply the ACTS prayer to a scripture that is standing guard against obsessive negative thoughts. Spend some proactive effort wringing the truth out of scripture. An example might be rounding up a few thoughts that all have to do with our failures and inadequacies as parents. “My children are feral, I’m not feeding them well, and I am too soft-hearted to discipline them.” I might use Ephesians 6:10, which tells me to be strong in the Lord and the strength of his might. The ACTS method teaches us to use this verse first to express Adoration. I can give some attention to the marvelous truth that even when I am weak, God is mighty. My kids need God’s strength, not mine! Next, I confess. I have tried to do this on my own and have not given my weakness over to the Father. Then comes Thanksgiving. I’m not on my own in this worthy battle. Then supplication – asking God to supply my need. First, I need him to remind me of this verse when faced with these unwanted thoughts. I want to ask God to protect my mind from unhealthy thoughts, which I know the mighty Father can do for me.
Scripture Memory. Memorized scripture is a concealed-carry permit for shooting down intrusive thoughts. I’m often at the mercy of burritos and donuts. I’m worried I will die if I do not get to eat a chocolate-covered donut. As soon as the thought hits me, I can shoot it down by quoting Jesus in Matthew 4, “My food is to do the will of him who sent me.” I say it out loud, and if I do not linger, I can turn and walk away from temptation.
Journaling. Journaling is a great tool. It can help us to categorize a hundred roaming thoughts into four or five big categories. This allows us to corral problems and to battle them according to larger themes. Journaling moves internal thoughts to external observations. It shines the light into the darkness of our minds.
Capturing intrusive thoughts is a vital skill that can lead to emotional victory, spiritual peace, and overall well-being.
Go to battle against intrusive thinking!
You have the love and power of Jesus on your side!
Darrin Crow has been the lead pastor of HEART of Junction Church since it was planted in 1998. He has used his M.A. in Counseling Psychology throughout his ministerial career, and continues to counsel with individuals and couples as a key part of his pastoral duties. Darrin recently authored his second book, Understanding Biblical Mental and Emotional Health 101: A starting place for finding peace by thinking biblically, available online through multiple book sellers.
