LEAD August 2021 | Page 28

You can do this aloud or silently in your head .
Again , what we believe tends to come to pass , so proper thinking is more than simply making ourselves feel better . It ’ s one of the chief ways to change our circumstances .
When I first discovered the power of cognitive distortions , I thought to myself : “ But what if my conclusions are correct when I ’ m connecting the dots , or what if the “ mind reading ” I ’ m engaging in is Spirit-led intuition ?
Here are my answers to those questions :
If I ’ m right about a bad outcome or conclusion , I plead for the Lord to change it , while resting in His sovereign love , trusting His decision .
If I ’ m right about someone else ’ s motives ( meaning the Spirit revealed them to me ), then I pray for that person . And possibly use the information to minister to them without condemning them .
Our thoughts are separate from ourselves . And so are our feelings .
Part of the work of challenging cognitive distortions and negative feelings is to feel the energy behind them and then let those thoughts and feelings go .
David Hawkins speaks of the freedom this work brings , saying :
By continuously letting go , it is possible to stay in that state of freedom . Feelings come and go , and eventually you realize that you are not your feelings , but that the real “ you ” is merely witnessing them .
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