A Woman of Faith

“Let the wicked forsake his way and the evil man his thoughts.” - Isaiah 55:7 NIV

What does it mean to be a woman of faith? I once told God after reading one of Corrie Ten Booms’ books, “Lord, I want to be a woman of faith, but I don’t want to go to a concentration camp to be one.” The Nazis had taken Corrie, her sister Betsy and their father to a concentration camp for hiding Jews in their home during World War II.

I now realize, some years later, I too had been in a concentration camp; one of my own making or perhaps one the enemy had designed for me long ago. Negative thinking and speaking had been something I saw from my childhood home. I tried my best to get free, but didn’t know how; Not until I went to counseling and realized why I thought and felt the way I did.  I’ve learned God’s Word is the one constant to replace my own thoughts. 

The World Book definition for morbid introspection is “an unhealthy examination of one’s thoughts and feelings.” And concentration camps are where prisoners of war are held. We are in a spiritual war and Satan our enemy will try his best to keep us too focused on self and sin. If he can do so, we’ll not be able to accomplish God’s purpose for us. It’s ultimately a change in our thinking, which will then affect our behavior. It is a continual battle to replace our thoughts with God’s Word in order to transform us.

While working on this piece, I heard a pastor say, “Your stronghold is in your head.”  Most of us know that to be true, but it’s what we do to replace the way we think. We are told to take every thought captive to Christ because His thoughts are so different than our own. 

We are a spiritual war and we can become a prisoner of our own thoughts or the enemy’s. I can see now I personally have been so challenged over believing God’s Word to me over my own, the enemy’s or other people’s. And if you struggle as I have, it’s time to break the cycle of defeat and move on. Ask yourself, “Where have I believed lies that God wants to dispel?” 

Father, help us to recognize the lies and allow You to defeat them through the power of Your Word and Your Holy Spirit. In Jesus’ name, 

Amen.