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.
2 Corinthians 10:5b, NIV*
Take captive every thought…
Paul is calling Christians to live “in the world but not of the world” and not to judge by human standards but by God’s. He’s talking about spiritual warfare and tearing down everything that “sets itself up against the knowledge of God”.
There’s a fierceness to his tone even though he starts with “By the humility and graciousness of Christ I appeal to you.”
For me, the idea of taking every thought captive has meant not allowing myself to dwell on negatives and other temptations, but choosing to think about good and positive things. In reading Ann Voskamp’s One Thousand Gifts I’ve come to apply the verse by choosing gratitude instead of ingratitude.
But what if there’s more?
Take captive every thought…
Sometimes when I’m tired, this means pulling my thoughts together and marshalling enough mental energy to carry on in His strength.
Far more frequently than that, it means not letting my thoughts skitter away in all directions. Some of them rabbit-trail, others try to get into the future ahead of me.
“Take captive” is a good picture of what’s needed: they can bolt like a herd of wild horses, and I need a firm hand to lasso them and get them back into the corral.
Father, I want to live in the present, grounded and aware, seeking You first. I can’t do this on my own. Help me bring every thought and focus in line with You. Help me take one thing at a time, walking with You, open to hear anything You might say.
∞
Here’s Michael Card’s “In Stillness and Simplicity.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KI39pI7GNow
*New International Version (NIV) Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
I finally collected my thoughts enough to read this post. Thank you so much, Janet, for applying this scripture verse to the idea of “scattered thoughts.” It’s very hard to “take every thought captive” if those thoughts are flitting from one thing to the next to the next. Bless you!
This was a God-thing that I almost missed. Thank you to Jan who told me to write it down! I so need to learn this, and it will definitely be a “long obedience in the same direction”.