"Rehearsing your trouble results in experiencing them many times...."  Ever read one little sentence or phrase and it just starts a flood of thoughts and ideas?  That happened to me this morning as I read that phrase in my "Jesus Calling" devotional.  It was like the proverbial light bulb going off over my head.

Why do we do this?  Why do I do this?  Rehearse or rehash troubles over and over again in my head.  And its not just problems I am facing, but things that have happened in the past, bad judgement, conversations....I should have done this, said that...

Why instead do I not rehearse the good things that are in my life, coming up or in the past?  The right choices, the times God has made a special provision. Enjoyable things, victories, don't seem to get near enough play in our heads as do our dreads and missteps.

This goes along with the thoughts that begin with, "I always...It never...God doesn't...."   Rehearsing the negative.  It's no wonder the Bible tells us to renew our minds!!  We need it!!

I spoke a few days back about thoughts riding around in my head as if on a model train, round and round the same track.  The circumstances may vary but fears of the future, mistakes and grievances from the past all spin round on that well worn track.  "I should have....Why doesn't it....God didn't...."

It is so important to stop this pattern.  Victory will come when I develop a new mindset, a positive thought pattern.  This is where I begin to build trust and learn to choose faith.  Thankfulness instead of the "what ifs" and the "I should have."

And amazingly the verse that went with this reading.....of course, it was Matthew 11:28-30  Come to me all you who labor and are heavy laden and I will give you rest.  Take my yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart.  You will find rest for your souls.  For My yoke is easy and my burden is light.  

In my Bible I referenced Isaiah 53:4 next to the Matthew verse.  Surely He has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows.  Yet we esteemed Him stricken. Smitten by God and afflicted.  

By rehearsing the junk, the bad stuff I am just carrying things I was never meant to.  Conversations that went wrong, problems in the present, worries for the future....all of that Jesus took upon Himself.  Staying on this same track in our heads may feel comfortable, normal for us.  But it is not helpful.  The "normal" track we ride on is dark and littered with the trash of regret, negativity and fear, it covers the same ground again and again.  But the new track, the one our Father wants us on is clear, the landscape pristine and it moves in one direction - up.   We may not be able to see far ahead, but we need only focus on our conductor - Jesus.

Thank You Lord for this thought provoking reading I did today.  Help me to let go of the bad, the negative and rehash the good stuff you send into my life, the provisions and the blessings, the victories and the learning.  Lord, it's so hard change the way I think, but I know that I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.  Thank You.  Please remind me of this all the time!!!