Isobel Kuhn was a missionary in China roughly 1929 to 1950. Having lived in China in the late ‘80s and early ‘90s, I can only imagine how hard her life was. No conveniences that were considered normal during her time in North America. I can’t imagine how cold she was sometimes. I can’t imagine carrying all the water she used. I can’t imagine the illnesses she suffered and observed. How did she survive?
Isobel wrote “I had to refuse to let my imagination take control of my future. So I had to take my thoughts into captivity that they might not dishonor Christ.”
Hmmmmm… how did she do that?
“I had to refuse to let my imagination take control of my future…” When we consider our current situation, amid the coronavirus, many of us are afraid about what will happen to us now, as well as what our future may hold. We find our minds going to where I call The Land of What If.
The Land of What If can be real but, most likely, it is a place that exists only in our imagination. And I find it is usually filled with scary things and monsters and other things that don’t make me feel good. It is a place filled with unrealistic anticipation. It is not a fun place to be and there isn’t anything there that moves me to where I want to be in my head.
When the Apostle Paul wrote the book of Philippians he was in prison. (Some of us might feel a little imprisoned on our homes right now.) And yet he talks about joy in this book. In the 4th chapter, starting with verse 4, Paul gives some directives to being joyful in hard situations:
- Be happy! Just be happy – in God. A choice. I will choose to know that God is taking care of me and I will be happy.
- Be gentle.
- Don’t be anxious – pray about it instead.
The result of this is peace – a sense of well-being and contentment that comes from God.
The next verse, for me, is the key: “… whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable – if anything is excellent or praiseworthy – think about such things.” This is what Isobel meant about taking her “thoughts into captivity.”
What this says is when you find your mind sitting in a dark spot and making a home there, change what you are thinking about to things that are good and positive and will take your heart and mind where you want it to be. An example of this might be rather than focusing on what you are missing out on because of sheltering in place, think of things for which you are thankful. I have a friend who has a thankful list. Every evening, he writes down several things that happened during the day for which he is grateful.
Recently I read an article about the power of thoughts and emotions. What comes first, feeling sad or thinking sad? The author proposed that thoughts come first and then your emotions follow. So, if you are feeling down and sad, change what you are thinking about and your feelings will soon change. Your thoughts determine your feelings. Think about what is good, pure, lovely, things you admire and enjoy. You will feel at peace.
This is a habit you develop. First you have to become aware of your thoughts and the impact they are having on you. And then you intentionally decide to think about other things, things that are helpful and beneficial. The more you do it, the easier it will become.
I have been to the part of China where Isobel lived. The mountains are pretty steep and villages few and far between. It is cold in the winter because it is wet and the cold goes into the core of you. It can be pretty miserable. I think Isobel focused on the beauty of the mountains and the people she had come to serve – their kind hearts. I think she focused on the fact she had a house to live in, children who lived beyond birth, and food to eat.
At this time of uncertainty and fear, your thoughts are something you can control. Positive thoughts lead to positive feelings.
-Becky