Junky Thoughts - The consequences of negative thoughts

Junky Thoughts
(2910261118-1136, 0611260837-0852)
 
Junky thoughts
spread through my mind.
Faster than I would like,
they contaminate my thinking
and take hold of my emotional world
and my actions.
 
Something bad and unjust
preceded them.
Periods of boredom, loneliness,
and self-pity
have given rise to them.
They multiply faster
than I would like,
beginning to proliferate within me
and leaving a negative mark
on my daily life.
 
Junky thoughts:
Annoyance, rage, anger, hatred,
bitterness, envy, jealousy,
judgment, and self-pity
these are just a few seeds
that must be identified
very quickly.
Before I know it,
they strike deep roots
into my own soul,
corrupting my entire way of thinking
and my daily life along with it.
 
Junky thoughts,
you incite me toward what is bad;
rejection of those around me
even outright hostility
are the consequences
if I let myself get drawn in by you.
 
 
Junky thoughts
how I long, in those moments,
to shift the blame for my misery
onto someone else,
to justify myself and my own misconduct
simply because I have been treated poorly.
Yet, I still haven’t grasped
that I continue to turn
my own life into a living hell
and the lives of those around me, too
because I keep
engaging with you,
instead of systematically fighting back against you.
 
Junky thoughts
I want to learn
not to let you spoil my life
any longer.
I want to practice
putting an end to you
as quickly as possible.
I no longer wish
to take the bad behavior of others
and make it my own.
 
Junky thoughts
the sooner I
bid you farewell,
the sooner I will
start feeling better again.
 
 
Topic: The consequences of negative thoughts
 
 
Proverbs 4:23
Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it. 
 
 
 
Proverbs 20:27
The human spirit is the lamp of the Lord that sheds light on one’s inmost being.
 
Proverbs 14:29-30
Whoever is patient has great understanding, but one who is quick-tempered displays folly. 30 A heart at peace gives life to the body, but envy rots the bones.
 
2.Corinthians 10:4-5
The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. 5 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.
 
 
Bible text taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®. NIV®. COPYRIGHT © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 Biblica, Inc.®. Used with permission. All rights reserved worldwide
 

In God's Melting Pot - Purification Process

In God's Melting Pot
(2911200338-0413,1109262228-2253)

Everything I've built up,
everything I've accomplished,
has now collapsed,
like a house of cards.

No matter which way I look,
no matter what I try,
I can't get anywhere
with my plans and ambitions.

I feel like I'm in God's melting pot.

Everything that's important
to me is gone now.

Now it's just God and me.

My own character
is being put to the test.

All the crying
and crying out
seems to be of no use.

All my prayers, my pleading
and begging,
go unanswered.

God has reduced me
to nothing right now,
and that hurts terribly.

But if He has reduced me to zero,
it's only because He wants
to put His one
in front of me.
He wants to use me,
but he can't use my pride
in my own achievements.

He wants to mold me,
but he can't do anything
with my arrogance.

It stands in his way
like slag,
which must first be
melted out of gold.

This process is very painful,
and I must learn
to define myself
not by my achievements,
but by my Creator.

No longer me,
but HE now has the say
in my life.

I don't know
where he is leading me,
I don't know
what will happen next.

But I know
deep in my heart,
that my Creator is

not simply discarding me,
but has something better
in store for me.

The slag is only being removed
from the gold
because the gold has

entirely different qualities,
and these are now
to be used.

God, teach me now
to submit to You
instead of running away
from Your treatment.

Teach me to look to You,
no matter how painful it may be.

Teach me humility,
for all my pride and arrogance
have only made me fall deeper.

Teach me to take each day
anew from Your hand,
instead of always trying
to control things myself.

And in all of this,
grant me a clear mind,
so that I may recognize
Your guidance and bow before You.

Topic:   Purification Process

Envy and Jealousy - The Consequences of Envy and Jealousy

Envy and Jealousy
(2207262223-2233,2308260753-0757)

Envy and jealousy,

you two are truly monstrous things.

You usually come as a pair.

You bring nothing good,

and if a person is successful,

you do your part to ruin everything

as quickly as possible.

Envy and jealousy,
the aggression you unleash is beyond words.

Envy and jealousy,
you let your host believe
that the success and triumphs of the other
is rightfully his.

Oh, what folly!

Envy and jealousy,
you cause the person
who associates with you

to think they can do everything better,
to feel they have to elevate themselves,
and constantly put the person they envy

in a bad light

in order to discredit him.

Envy and jealousy,
your ingenuity
seems endless,
but the person who associates with you 

never truly finds happiness.

They can't get enough of their need for recognition,
and live by putting others down.

Envy and jealousy,
doesn't anyone realize 

how destructive you are, 

and that it's wise to steer clear of you?

Topic:   The Consequences of Envy and Jealousy

 

Broken Spirit - Being forced to do something against my will

Broken Spirit
(1604122245-2257)
 
Yes, you have my cooperation,
but what you are asking me to do
totally goes against my will.

Yes, I do as you please,
but inside of me
a volcano erupts.

Yes I will follow you
because I must
but do not ask me to trust you
because I do not.

For you everything may be fine
you are probably completely ignorant
of what just went wrong
and the pain it caused me to have
but for me a world breaks down.

My Spirit is broken
and my love for you is gone.

The anger grows
and every bit of respect
that I had for you
herby went down the drain.

I feel lost
I feel misunderstood
and I feel unloved
and you don’t seem to have a clue
as to how much you hurt me.

I do not know
what you care about,
but at that moment
it was not me.

I so wish that one day
you will really listen to me!
 
 
 
Theme:   Being forced to do something against my will
 
 
Ephesians 6:4 
Fathers, do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord. 

Revenge - Leave revenge to God

Revenge
(1507050526-0533,2402261148-1207)
Revenge is mine,
says your God.

Revenge is mine,
because I don't want it
to tear a hole in your soul.

Revenge is mine,
because I know
how much harm
it will cause you,
if you take it
in your own hands.

Revenge is mine,
because otherwise it will only
lead to more hatred and strife.

Revenge is mine,
because I know the situation
much better anyway.

Revenge is mine,
because I will be
with this person
longer than you.

Revenge is mine,
because your understanding
of justice is far from sufficient,
to ensure justice
in the long run.

Revenge is mine,
says, your God,

- then leave it up to me!

Inspired by the terrorist attacks on buses and subways in
London on July 7, 2005
 
Theme:   Leave revenge to God
 
Proverbs 20:22
Do not say, ‘I’ll pay you back for this wrong!’ Wait for the Lord, and he will avenge you

1.Samuel 24:12
May the Lord judge between you and me. And may the Lord avenge the wrongs you have done to me, but my hand will not touch you.

Deuteronomy 32:35
It is mine to avenge; I will repay. In due time their foot will slip; their day of disaster is near and their doom rushes upon them.’

Bible text taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®. NIV®. COPYRIGHT © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 Biblica, Inc.®. Used with permission. All rights reserved worldwide
 
 
 

The Second Problem - PTSD – Post-traumatic stress disorder

The Second Problem
(1402262007-2044,1502260650-0715)

I have a problem,
or so I thought for a long time.

Something bothered me immensely.

Whether it was suffering, illness,
injustice, bullying, abuse, loss,
or anything else
that threw me off track,
what's certain is that the pain of it
was etched into my mind.

I got incredibly upset about it,
simmered with anger and resentment,
shrouded myself in self-pity
and depression,
occupied myself with all sorts
of distractions,
and did all sorts of things
to try and get rid of the pain.

Soon I realized that the thought
about my problem had become
lodged inside me,
like a bird that has built a nest
in my tree.

I'm starting to brood over
the negative feelings.
Day and night,
they give me no peace.

I'm getting so worked up
about this terrible situation
that I'm constantly preoccupied
with all sorts of possible
and even impossible scenarios.
Soon, I'm experiencing
increasing difficulty concentrating.
Coping with everyday tasks
becomes more and more difficult.

Positive aspects of the present moment
barely register with me anymore,
because everything increasingly revolves
around the negative thing
that's happened to me.

Even my relationships
with friends and acquaintances
have deteriorated,
as they were tired of hearing
the same old story
and me consistently ignoring
all their good advice.

For a long time,
I justified my current behavior
because of the problem
that had happened to me.
But I didn't realize
that I now have
more than one problem.

The second problem
has long since crept in:
I've lost my mental balance.

The first problem is now
a thing of the past
but the second problem
still haunts me every step of the way.

It's becoming increasingly difficult,
if not impossible,
to hold down a regular job,
to structure my daily life meaningfully,
to maintain healthy relationships,
and to value myself.

For a long time,
I always blamed my current difficulties
on the first problem.
I never wanted to seriously admit
that the second problem
affects me even more
than the first one,
which is now long gone.

Now it would be very important
to broaden my horizons,
to start perceiving the beauty
and goodness in the present,
to value myself again,
and to implement the helpful tips and advice
from my friends
instead of constantly complaining,
moaning, and lamenting.

But in the meantime,
my misbehavior has become
so ingrained
that it will be a difficult task for me
not only to acknowledge my second problem
but also, to take productive action against it.

Topic:   PTSD – Post-traumatic stress disorder

 

 

Who says? - Actions that will get us in trouble over and over again.

 Who says?

(2203122241-2253,2203122305-2316)

 

Who says

that my negative thoughts

and the resulting emotions

need to rule me?

Who says

that I only have to act

according to my impulses?

Who says

that I cannot be strong enough

to endure difficulties

without shooting back?

Who says

that I have to react immediately

and let my rage and anger run wild?

Who says

that everything needs to end

to my advantage

so that I can be satisfied?

Who says

that I need to pout

if I do not get what I want?

Who says

that I have to continue to manipulate

until others do what I want?

The one who says all that

and gets me to believe it all

surely does not have 

my best interest in mind.

In that fashion

I cannot go on.

That’s not how I grow

that’s not how I learn patience

and everything else involved

to become really strong

in order to master my life with joy.

When I do what he says

then I will still turn around

in the same circle

thirty years from now

and grow more dissatisfied

with each round.

Who says

that I have to follow him?

 

 

Theme:   Actions that will get us in trouble over and over again

I follow my thoughts - How our thoughts shape our everyday lives

I follow my thoughts
(0802260944-0959, 1202262308-2354)

For a long time, I didn't realize 
that I follow my own thoughts
at every turn.

My thoughts are followed
by my feelings.
My feelings are followed
by my words,
and my words are followed
by my actions.

My whole life unfolds in this order.
Everything begins with my thoughts.

Isn't it all the more important then, 

to think positive thoughts?

I have to admit
that this takes a lot of effort.
If I just let myself go,
or don't intentionally think
about something good,
in times of boredom or loneliness,
negative thoughts dominate.
Everything that follows
is then shaped by them.
But I don't want to live
my life like that.

So I have to make the effort
to intentionally think about
good and positive things.
This is usually much more
time-consuming than simply
giving in to negativity.

I realize the effort  
is absolutely worth it.
Suddenly, good ideas
come to me again.
 I feel decidedly better
and gain a new perspective on others,
which is accompanied
by much more empathy
and a willingness to help.
Words of encouragement
and edification flow from my lips again,
and reconciliation and forgiveness
are paramount.
Deeds of helpfulness soon follow.

Overall, I am considerably
more satisfied with my life
when I practice thinking
positive thoughts.


Topic:   How our thoughts shape our everyday lives


Luke 6:45
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.

Bible text taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®. NIV®. COPYRIGHT © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 Biblica, Inc.®. Used with permission. All rights reserved worldwide
 

Without - What Jesus did for me

 Without

(3003241756-1820,3003241807-1822)

 

Without Jesus' sacrificial death

on the cross,

God would hold my own guilt

and mistakes against me

mercilessly and with full force.

 

Without Jesus' death on the cross,

I would be separated

from my Creator for all eternity.

 

Without Jesus' resurrection,

I would be left to die

and there would only be a grim aftermath.

 

But because Jesus spared no suffering

and because he took the lowest path

for my sake,

he took all my mistakes

on his behalf and not only gave me

complete forgiveness,

but also restored the fellowship

with my heavenly Father.

He did even more.

He conquered death

so that I am no longer exposed

to eternal death.

 

Here and now,

I can accept his gift of grace.

Even during my lifetime,

I can feel and experience

his healing love and forgiveness.

 

All that remains for me to do

is to say THANK YOU

and to align my life more and more

with his principles.

 

 

Theme:   What Jesus did for me

 

Without God - What happens when we renounce God

Without God

(2802221203-1212,1208230715-0732)

 

Without God,

our governments wanted to reign.

Without God

they wanted to go about their business.

Without God

they wanted  to change the laws.

 

But what has become of it?

 

Do we still not understand

that there is only

peace on earth WITH GOD?

Only WITH GOD

can our heart remain calm.

Only WITH GOD

do we know, to whom we can bring

all of our worry and anxiety.

Only WITH GOD

do we experience true forgiveness

for all our faults.

 

Without God we wanted to go on

and hope that  grace and success

would just continue like before.

 

We banned God from our families,

schools, cities and communities.

God can no longer be found

in our new government.

He has also become

a stranger in our churches.

So he left.

 

But what good

does it do us?

Now we can

realize it very clearly.

 

Oh God have mercy on us

and accept us again

when we come back

to YOU remorsefully!

 

 

Topic:   What happens when we renounce God

 

No thank you - What happens when we ignore the Bible and Jesus

No thank you

 (2705230740-0802)

 

 I said no thank you

 to my Maker's instructions

 for my life

 and went my own way.

 

 But relatively quickly I realized

 that I just didn‘t get

 the freedom I had hoped for

 but slipped from one bondage

 into the next.

 

 Happiness, joy and freedom

 was not part of my life

 and instead I realized

 there is a power destroying me

 and that wants to keep me bound.

 

 I slipped lower and lower

 into the mess

 and took advice from people

 who were just as clueless as me

 about my Maker’s instruction  manual. 

 It's like I'm blind

 being led by blind people.

 

 I said no thank you

 to my Savior

 who came for me

 in order to get me

 out of my misery.

 

 But in my heart was always

 this growing dissatisfaction.

 My conscience accused me

 I could do whatever I wanted

 I just couldn't calm down.

 

 I longed for peace

 but it raged inside of me.

 I longed for true love

 and security,

 but what I lived out

 was lust and selfishness.

 

 I got to a point in my life

 when  I was fed up with myself.

 but I could not come up with

 any good ideas on my own  anymore.

 

 Is there really nobody

 who can help me now?

 Isn't there anyone who

 can pull me out

 from my sinking mud hole?

 

 Maybe I should reconsider

 my Maker's instruction manual

 for my life

 and reflect upon

 the words of the Savior

 who he sent to my world.

 

 Yes, please,

 because I've degenerated so much

 that only HE can help me!

 

 

 Topic: What happens when we ignore the Bible and Jesus

 

 

Matthew 15:14

Leave them; they are blind guides. If the blind lead the blind, both will fall into a pit.

 

Luke 19,10

For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.

 

(Bible quotations are from the NIV Bible translation)