Need some opinions on thoughts sent by God

[po18guy]

60% of my dad’s side died of cancer. Thus, I prepared myself to hear that diagnosis at some point. I put it in the back of my mind and lived life. When it arrived, life did not end - it changed, and in many ways for the better, as odd as that may sound. I go so far as to call it a blessing, as life was then seen much more as a day-to-day gift from the Lord.

 

[anon90438963]

Thoughts are just thoughts. They can be very random and they come and go like lightening. Teresa of Avila had much to say on how nonsensical they often are as they intrude on our prayer, for example.
If thoughts become intrusive to the point of anxiety, there are a lot of helps out there to understand and deal with them. I went through a bout of situation-caused anxiety a few years ago, and I found Claire Weekes’ Help and Healing for Your Nerves a wonderful book. It is a bit outdated in the examples she uses, but she was a pioneer in the field and I’ve found that much more contemporary works on anxiety really just repeat her advice.
Ignatian meditation can help a whole lot, too, as you discern thoughts. As I recall, Ignatius stated that if a thought begins in joy or happiness but ends up in lack of peace and anxiety, it is not from God.
I know that you lost your husband fairly recently. It is no wonder you might be experiencing some anxiety at this time. My prayers are with you!

 

[Tis_Bearself]

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, as practiced by Dr. Gregory Popcak (on EWTN) can be a tremendous help in combating anxiety.

Yes, I used self-help CBT back in the 90s to dig myself out of a pretty big hole I’d gotten into. I used a book by David Burns called “Feeling Good” that I got for a couple dollars at a used book shop. It had various written exercises. I did them every day and filled a three-inch-thick binder. I was motivated to make a number of positive changes in my life including changing careers. I would totally recommend anybody who is having persistent anxiety or negative thoughts to go find a copy of that book and do the exercises for a month, see if it helps. I still use the techniques to a significant extent but find that I usually don’t fall into the “thinking mistakes” from the book any more because I trained my mind not to think that way.

I do just have occasional flare-ups now. I am dealing with it partly by keeping so busy I don’t have time to get anxious. I was left with a lot of big responsibilities so I am super busy anyway.

 

[QwertyGirl]

i am not sure about the spiritual aspect of our thought origins. I will leave that concept to others with more knowledge about it to comment on it.

I will say, though, that I have found that usually when I have anxiety or stress it means I need to examine how I am living and adjust accordingly. So, for example, I tend to listen to a lot of news on the radio when I am in the car. Occassionally I find myself thinking at other times during the day (as you suggested, often times when I first wake up) “Oh the world is going to hell in a handbasket” or I worry about a nuclear attack or things along that line. Before I know it, my whole day can be clouded from the anxiety of that thought. So I really examine where it may be coming from. Duh, I need to listen to some nice music in the car instead of all that negativity. So I change my habit and the anxiety goes by the wayside. Until the next time of course, from some other bad habit I am stuck in , usually.

I have been on the anxous-side my whole life. I finally figured it out. It is usually caused not so much by what I think, but rather by what I do. This is the complete opposite of what many therapists will tell you, but it works for me.

 

[Tis_Bearself]

Yeah, well my husband died 3 months ago so I’ve had enough life changes without making more right now.

Thanks for your thoughts, I’m sure I will be changing lots of things going forward but right now I have to just smack down the occasional intrusive thought in the here and now.

 

[QwertyGirl]

I am sure it is like playing whack-a-mole. It is good you seem very aware of what is happening. That is a big piece of the challenge of dealing with anxiety, to begin with. I am very sorry for your loss. I have lost two close family members since January so I sort of know what you mean about making changes, etc. I hope things look up for you, soon.

 

[guanophore]

A thought doesn’t cause us to worry or be anxious

What makes you think not?

I think we are ultimately responsible for being worried or anxious.

If this is true, and your other premise is also true (thoughts do not cause feelings) then what recourse does a person have?

at the end of chain it is us entertaining the thoughts, or ruminating on them, or not trusting God.

What chain is that? If entertaining thoughts and ruminating on them is not part of the chain?

if we ruminate on the thought it will only destroy our peace of mind.

it would seem that thoughts are intimately involved

How do we know God sends us any thoughts?

Because He said He would. Scripture is full of God’s thoughts. One way to know they are from Him is when they are consistent with what is written in Scripture.

the Gospels say this is the one thing where one can easily condemn himself. Safer not to prophecise at all.

That sounds like quenching the Spirit out of fear.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, as practiced by Dr. Gregory Popcak (on EWTN) can be a tremendous help in combating anxiety.

I agree, but it is based on the assumption that our thoughts are what triggers and fuels our emotions.