thinking – Robyn Mulder

September 3, 2021

Focus Friday: Let’s Focus on Fighting the Panic

Gary and I spent some time in the Black Hills of South Dakota this week. We enjoyed some time away and did some hiking.

One morning we started at Mt. Moriah Cemetery and hiked to the White Rocks near Deadwood, SD. The first part of the trail wasn’t bad, but after a while we came to this fork.

Gary headed up the hill and I followed. It got more steep the further we went. I started to imagine my boot slipping and a long fall back down to the road. I went slower and slower and finally I could go no more. I couldn’t take another step and I couldn’t imagine turning around and walking down that steep incline.

Tears came and I finally just turned around and sat down. I scooted forward a few inches at a time, fighting unsuccessfully to stop crying. Gary called down from above, “Just stand up!” He could see another narrow path off to my left that I could take and it wouldn’t be as steep. I scooted a few more feet and finally was able to stand and find the other trail.

Here’s Gary on the trail I eventually took. The burned log to the right was as far as I got on the steep trail.

Here’s the top of the steep trail. We both took the more gradual path on the way down.

I really think I talked myself into a little panic attack before I had to sit down on the trail. Sure, the trail was pretty steep, but I’ve done lots of hiking. It wasn’t super dangerous and I probably wouldn’t have gotten badly hurt if I had fallen, but I kept picturing myself slipping and falling with each tentative step.

When I started crying, part of it was from fear, but a big part of it was disgust at myself for having to turn around and admit defeat.

At least there was another path, and it was only a few feet away. Once I stood up and moved forward again, I felt better.

I’m glad I pressed on. This is the view that we enjoyed at the top:

This experience reminded me, once again, that how we think affects how we feel.

I couldn’t make it up the hill because I was thinking, “I’m going to fall…This is too steep…I can’t do this!”

Gary made it up that trail. Other hikers had gone before us and formed it. Even now, I wonder if I could have made it if I had fought the panic and tried thinking, “I can do this! This isn’t so bad. I’ve hiked in lots of steep places before.”

Maybe I’ll give it another shot if we ever go hiking there again, but for now I can work on fighting the panic* that threatens to derail me once in a while in my everyday life.

In those moments, I can practice saying, “God’s with me. I’m okay. I can figure this out. This isn’t the end of the world. I can handle anything that happens.”

And then I can enjoy a sense of accomplishment once I get through it.

“So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” (Isaiah 41:10 NIV)

Have you ever fought feelings of panic? How can focusing on God help you to calm down and move forward in spite of your fears?

*Please note: I’ve never had a true panic attack, and I’m not trying to make light of them at all. If you experience the debilitating symptoms of panic attacks, you may need to talk to your doctor or a therapist and get more help than just thinking positively.

April 2, 2021

Focus Friday: Let’s Focus on Accepting Gifts

I received a gift today. I was very glad to get it, but I was surprised at the thoughts going through my head afterward.

Maybe I should tell you what I got first. You see, I’ve been doing some work in the church office this week. Our administrative assistant is fighting non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma and this was a rough week. I was happy to help out so she could rest.

I was working on the bulletin today, when all of a sudden her husband showed up with a vase full of beautiful flowers!

I protested that those weren’t necessary, but to tell her thank you from me. A little while later I texted her to say thanks and I sent her a picture of her gift.

“Thanks for helping out!” the card said. But I couldn’t just accept and enjoy her gift. My brain started doing all sorts of goofy things.

I should send her some flowers since she’s not feeling well. I hope she didn’t waste too much money on me. How can I pay her back for this?

I’m getting a little better at catching my thoughts, so I didn’t let my brain spin on those worries for too long. I smiled as I carried my flowers home when I got done working and I’ve been enjoying them every time I catch a glimpse of them. I’ve taken a few minutes to admire them again and stick my nose deep into one of the roses to enjoy its aroma.

It was a wonderful gift.

Today is Good Friday. Some of us have trouble accepting God’s beautiful gift. Sometimes our brains start doing all sorts of goofy things.

Jesus endured so much pain on the cross. I can’t believe he’d do that for little old me. How can I repay him for his sacrifice?

We have to catch those thoughts that spin and cause us to focus on ourselves. Instead we can think about the love he had for us that sent him to that cross. He wanted to go through that excruciating experience so each of us could have eternal life. It’s amazing!

We can take time today to reflect on the pain he went through and the shame he bore, but we can’t stay there. We have to remember that Sunday morning came and the tomb was empty. He rose from that grave. Death couldn’t hold him! Later he went to heaven to prepare a place for us. We can smile every time we remember what he did for us.

It was a wonderful gift.

“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” (John 3:16 NIV)

How are you at accepting gifts? How can focusing on God help you to accept Jesus’ wonderful gift ?

April 3, 2020

Focus Friday: Let’s Focus on What’s on Our Minds

I don’t know about you, but I’ve been finding it even harder than usual to concentrate lately.

There are so many thoughts bouncing around in my head. Some are helpful and hopeful. Others are not helpful and they lead to despair if I focus on them too much.

Over the past couple of years, I’ve been learning more and more about how important our thoughts are. I’ve been learning how to look at what I’m thinking and make sure those thoughts are true and that they’re moving me in the right direction in life. It has been interesting, enlightening, and sometimes disturbing to see what’s on my mind.

Our brains are incredibly complex. And when we deal with depression, anxiety, or other mental illnesses, it can be especially challenging to figure out how much of our thinking is under our control and how much is affected by the illness.

I’m a Christian, so I’ve always know how important it is to believe God’s truth instead of Satan’s lies. I’ve done Bible studies about it and practiced it–with varying degrees of success. I even started a Facebook group this week called “Catch Your Thoughts” (based on 2 Corinthians 10:5) because I want to help people learn about and improve their thinking.

So it surprised me when I watched a Facebook live event and heard speaker Brenda Yoder talk about our mind (intellect) being influenced by either the flesh or the Spirit. She said it in the context of how important it is for writers to ask God what they should be writing about, but I latched onto it as the missing piece of the “Thought Life” puzzle I’ve been working on for a long time.

Of course! How could I have forgotten how important the Holy Spirit is when it comes to my thoughts? I’ve learned that. I’ve known that. I’ve experienced that. But lately, I had been relying solely on my intellect (my mind, will, and emotion) to sort out what I was thinking and if it was good for me.

Worse yet, there have been many times when I’ve allowed the flesh (my sinful nature and the world) to control how I’m thinking and feeling.

If you’re a Christian, you don’t have to struggle with what’s on your mind. If you take it to the Lord, the Holy Spirit will help you sort through it and discern what is true. The Spirit will lovingly point out thoughts and feelings that have no value so you can get rid of them and focus on better things.

Our mind is important. We can decide what we choose to think and how we choose to act. But we don’t have to go it alone. We have a Helper who is always ready to guide us.

I’m still figuring all of this out, so I invite you to comment here or go over to my new Facebook group and join the discussion. Together, we can make sure we have a mind controlled by the Spirit, and that will lead to life and peace, no matter what’s going on in our lives or in the world.

“The mind governed by the flesh is death, but the mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace.” (Romans 8:6 NIV)

What’s on your mind right now? How can focusing on God help you to take everything to Him and let the Spirit help you sort out your thoughts?