Part 5. Let’s talk about Overthinking (Series: Being Tired)

I’d be the first to say, this wasn’t exactly what I imagined I would be talking about this week, but the more I thought about it, which is kind of ironic (since we’re talking about overthinking), the more I understood the value in discerning what it actually is . As Jennie Allen puts it, “We’re in the middle of a war that has been happening for generations.” This war is spiritual, and it’s happening in our minds.

So, to start us off, let's look at 2 Timothy 1 (:6-7):

”For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands, for God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.” (to make of a sound mind).

The context of these verses refer to Paul addressing Timothy (his protégé), and really emphasising that he doesn’t want fear to “stifle Timothy’s ministry… so he addresses his spirit of fear.” The Greek word here (deilos) really means timidity, cowardice, or fearfulness. So it’s emphasising the importance of not letting the spirit of fear control the outcome of what God has asked him to do, even amid persecution, etc. (as we see in the next verses, too).

I think it’s an interesting verse to emphasise because fear is very integral, I would say, in most of the lives of anyone in this world. We, as humans, often act out of fear: the fear of man, fear of disappointment, the fear of not being good enough, and the list could go on.

In just a moment, we will come back to this verse and tackle the sound-mind concept, but in order to do so, I think we should first address what overthinking really is.

Overthinking is when “we put too much time into thinking about or analysing something in a way that is more harmful than helpful.”

I know it very well. Without trying to overthink, some of us (and probably most of us) overanalyse, not realising that we’re doing it. We overthink a comment, or a conversation, or an email. We overthink “when thoughts about problems, relational issues, and even plans dominate our waking hours.” There are so many ways we can overthink, but the point is, it almost always  is, the result of FEAR. This very clearly takes root in worry, anxiety, emotional and mental exhaustion (therefore, loss of energy both physically and mentally), etc.

Sometimes we overthink about good things too, maybe a celebration coming up, etc. But even these good, well-meaning thoughts can turn into complex spirals within our minds. Suddenly, what was meant to be a wonderful occasion has been mentally taken out of proportion and has become overwhelming. At this point, you’re simply ready to call it quits, cancel everything in that week and just return to whatever is comfortable.

Obviously, I’m speaking generally here; I know that not everyone’s experiences are the same, but I wouldn’t be wrong to say that, to at least some degree, you can relate.

We could go on and on about what overthinking looks like, but I think this gives a good overall viewpoint on the matter. So, instead, right now, I would like to turn our attention to another crucial part of overthinking that is often rooted in fear and weakness in our minds. What do I mean by this? Let me explain. Here’s an example.

A friend and I quickly realised, as we were serving in a ministry setting together, that often spiritual warfare came into play. Now, spiritual warfare really can and does come up no matter where you are as a believer, but I remember in this season of life, I seemed to be much more aware and experienced it to a whole new level. I remember one specific occasion, the day before a big event that we were speaking at, we both experienced warfare in different ways. My friend got physically sick, and I don’t mean just a slight niggle in the throat… as in really bad! I didn’t experience physical sickness, but my mental state almost got me to pull out of speaking at this event. I was mentally being tested. It only became clearer that the enemy loved to use our weaknesses to bring us down. We knew God was doing something big… maybe more so in the spiritual realm than what we could physically see, but we became even more aware of how crucial it was for us to go to this event.

So, what i’m trying to emphasize in sharing this story is that, our minds are being tested all the time… in a society where we are constantly on the go, not always sure of ourselves, insecurities often screaming, and the world’s standards constantly challenging our way of living; it's important to truly know how to live from a heart of rest and know how to address this biblically.

The simple truth is, overthinking is happening. It’s happening to me, to you, probably to your family, and friends… and spiritual warfare is going to come, that’s that. Therefore, what can we learn now so that when we are tested mentally, we may be prepared to address it biblically?

Well, I think that brings us back to 2 Timothy 1:7:

“For God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.”

Let’s break it down:

NOT OF FEAR BUT OF:

1. Power (Greek - dunamai) - (miraculous) power, might, strength, bravery.

2. Love (Greek - agapao)  - love, goodwill

3. Self-control (Greek - sophronizo ) - to make of sound mind, ie, to be self-controlled

The idea here about a sound mind is to remind us that we have the ability to entertain thoughts or not. Sure, we know thoughts come; some are intrusive, and others are not, but ultimately, we have a choice to keep thinking about them or not.

I know this might seem a little abrupt but I think this blog post needs to stop here for this week and we will continue next week...

I want to say that I know this was a heavy/meaty blog post, and you are not alone in it. I sure am constantly learning what it means to rest in Him so that fear doesn’t overwhelm. But I’m reminded, most importantly, that He is with us every step of the way.

I would encourage you to spend time asking the Lord how He wants you to go about these things. He is faithful, and He will guide you through this. It’s a matter of choosing to come to Him with it all.

With all my love,

Until next week,

Jessie