How to get rid of negative thoughts

“As a man thinks in his heart, so is he.” — Proverbs 23:7

As believers, we must be especially careful concerning our thought life. Our thoughts influence our actions, and our actions can shape our behavior, habits, and direction in life. In many ways, the person we become is connected to the thoughts we continue to believe about ourselves deep within our hearts and minds.

This can be a wonderful thing when our thoughts are rooted in truth, faith, and the Word of God. However, if we constantly meditate on negative thoughts, those thoughts can begin to affect how we see ourselves, how we respond to others, and how we move through life.

When the main thoughts we believe about ourselves are negative, our outlook can become negative as well. We may begin to expect failure, rehearse fear, speak harshly to ourselves, or make decisions from insecurity instead of faith. Toxic thoughts can influence our behavior and cause us to respond to life from a place of discouragement, fear, bitterness, or defeat.

One way to overcome negative thinking is to train ourselves daily to meditate on what is true and life-giving. Philippians 4:8 tells us to think on things that are true, honest, just, pure, lovely, and of good report. This means we must be intentional about what we allow to stay in our minds.

Purpose to think thoughts that agree with God’s Word. Speak truth over yourself. Write encouraging scriptures, prayers, or affirmations in a journal if needed. Over time, as we renew our minds with God’s truth, our thoughts can become healthier, our hearts can become stronger, and our lives can begin to reflect the peace and wisdom of God.