“It’s All in Your Head”

“It’s all in your head.” Doctors say this, maybe family too, and whether or not they intend it, you hear a dismissive tone. A put-down. A message that says “it’s your fault, you caused it, and it won’t go away until you decide to stop it.”

In all fairness, what a good doctor probably means is, “It’s outside my expertise to help you with something that’s generated in your mind.” The tone is probably genuine regret that s/he can’t help.

Let’s not get into the debate over whether it truly is generated in your mind. Doctors have been known to write off tangible physical responses to environmental and food sensitivities because the tests don’t show any proof. And other things actually are products of the mind.

The fact is, we’re still stuck with the problem until we get help. If a medical doctor can’t help, perhaps a naturopath or counsellor can—or a prayer warrior.

Today I’m thinking of the kind of thing that actually is all in the head: the lies or worldviews that we internalize and believe that limit and damage us. The garbage that needs taking out.

Cover of "Battlefield of the Mind: Winnin...

Cover via Amazon

For me some of that is self-pity, self-focus and just plain self. I found Joyce Meyer’s Battlefield of the Mind a very effective removal tool, and I need to read it again.

It’s important to recognize the mental crud, agree with Jesus that it doesn’t belong there, and then cooperate with Him to replace it with wholesome, holy, healthy thoughts.

If it’s all in my head… that means it’s not a tangible disease or limitation. Real, but it doesn’t need a scalpel, drugs or a prosthesis to fix. It just needs realigning my mind to God and cooperating with Him.

I find that liberating and encouraging.

God bless Peter Furler for his song, “All in Your Head,” where I first heard the encouraging tone and the assurance that “it’s all in your head” means “nothing’s really holding you back” and I could push through the blockage.

4 thoughts on ““It’s All in Your Head”

  1. underthecoverofprayer

    We have been studying Moving From Fear to Freedom and one thing last night stuck in my head. GI GO (Garbage in Garbage Out)…. Grace Fox changed it to Good IN and Good OUT. One of my group said: God IN and God OUT. So it is what we think – always looking to God for the truth. Shutting out negativity – not listening to the world or what I think. The more I put in God – the less of me and that’s a good thing.
    Blessings,
    Jan

    Reply
  2. Belinda

    Wow, Janet, I LOVED the song. Yes, it’s all in your head!” Such an important awareness. ?Thank God that we know the One who can transform our minds and form his image in us, if only we place ourselves before him. Again, I love the song. Did Peter Furler sing with Newsboys? There is a ring of their sound in this song! I love them too.

    Reply
    1. Janet Sketchley

      Yes, Belinda, Peter Furler was the frontman for the Newsboys for a long time. He stepped down a few years ago (replaced by the amazing Michael Tait) and delighted many of us by going solo after a while. Love his whole album, and this song really encouraged me during one of my writers-identity-crises.

      Reply

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