Mind Chatter

Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain. 

1 Corinthians 15:58 ESV

“Pack your bags. Your best days are behind you.” 

Have you ever struggled with negative mind-chatter like the phrase above? I have. As I’ve tip-toed over the threshold into my golden years, I’ve questioned my usefulness—to my family, my church, and society at large. (Hello out there! Does anyone have use for an old gal like me, or is there an expiration date stamped on my forehead?) 

At times, self-doubts related to my age and health cause me to freeze up. I don’t make myself available to others as easily as I used to. I wonder if the younger ones will roll their eyes and whisper, “It’s that old lady again, trying to weasel her way in. Would someone please tell her that she’s no longer needed or wanted?”  

No doubt Elizabeth felt the same way. 

Though she had enjoyed many wonderful years of marriage to the priest Zechariah, Elizabeth was now well past her childbearing years. Oh, she was a woman of faith, a dedicated and godly woman who came from a priestly line, herself. But with no child to show from the union with Zechariah, she no doubt felt useless and ostracized by society. 

Elizabeth heard the whispers.

She saw the stares from the young mothers as they nursed their babes and tended to their little ones at play. 

I can’t even imagine the shock (Delight? Disbelief? Confusion?) the elderly Elizabeth must have felt when she received the news that she would deliver a son. Finally, after all of those years!

And what a son he was!

John the Baptist would prepare the way for the Savior of the world, Jesus Christ. Through his birth, Elizabeth received the promise of 1 Peter 5:6-7, even before the words were penned: Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.

If you struggle with negative mind chatter, take heart! God has so many wonderful days ahead for you. Study the Bible and see what He has to say about you. Then take His word over your own. Your best days are in front of you, friend!

Challenging Thought: You can take your thoughts captive. Make a list of steps you can take to rein them in next time they lead you down a dark path. 

Read more devotions like this one in a new book Janice co-authored with Louise Looney titled An Overcoming Walk of Peaks and Valleys, now available on Amazon!