2 Corinthians 10:5-6 (NKJV)

Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ; And having in a readiness to revenge all disobedience, when your obedience is fulfilled.

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The areas where we struggle the most are the areas where we are most likely to sin. Sounds obvious, right? Well, we are each aware of the things we struggle with; our areas of weakness. We are also aware of our triggers. For example, let’s say I have a struggle with anger. I notice that whenever I am criticized, I get angry, defensive and then i end up speaking words I wish I could take back. So, there’s a pattern to my anger. I recognize that whenever I am criticized, I automatically become vulnerable and if I am not vigilant, then I will go through the cycle all over again. There are other instances where it is not as obvious. For example, let’s say someone does something that you do not like, if you’re not careful, you can begin to entertain feelings of hate or resentment towards this person. If you allow those thoughts to simmer, they could turn into even uglier thoughts. These thoughts might affect your behavior in one way or another. Maybe you might talk to them in a rude way, or you might gossip about them. The thing is, as Christians, even entertaining the thought itself is bad enough. My encouragement to you today is to take notice of how you react to situations/events/conversations around you. Take a moment to think about what you’re feeling and thinking. Be bold enough and label the thought. Arrest negative thoughts before they ensnare and master you.