Take Every Thought Captive

2 Corinthians 10:5 (New International Version)

We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.

Though I've read it many times, this verse really struck me last week.

Take every thought captive. Every thought. That's tough!

I have been striving to put this into practice over the past week, and have found that it is transforming my marriage.

It's so easy to slip into "oh poor me" thoughts when my husband is harsh with me right when he comes in the door, forgets something that was important to me, or just doesn't seem to pay any attention to me.

Normally any of those things would result in me treating him poorly as well. That has not been very effective. It usually ends in a bigger argument.

And really it is a sin. God has provided me with a wonderful husband, and when I choose to look for faults, I find them. When I choose to be a victim, I am one.

But when I choose to love and serve my husband even when he is gruff, I honor God. When I take the "poor me" thought captive, I see it as a sin. It is a failure to be thankful for the husband that God has provided for me, and it is a failure to respect my husband (Eph 5:33). When I respond lovingly to him, I am sharing the love of God with him. He is blessed by it, and things have been so much more peaceful at home. What a blessing!

“Watch your thoughts, for they become words.
Watch your words, for they become actions.
Watch your actions, for they become habits.
Watch your habits, for they become character.
Watch your character, for it becomes your destiny.”

Training myself to take each thought captive is hard but possible... by grace alone.