Overcoming Negative Thoughts from a Christian Counseling Perspective

Negative thoughts and beliefs can create a loop, influencing your emotions and perceptions. Have you ever had a fleeting thought that changed how you felt? Perhaps you were happy, and a sudden thought occurred to you, and you felt down, sad, or even worthless.

Negative thoughts trigger our emotions and influence our actions in response. But you can overcome negative thoughts with a few psychological techniques.

Tips for Overcoming Negative Thoughts

Negative thoughts can sound true until you challenge them. Learning how to identify and “catch” your thoughts, manage them, and seek help when needed can shift your perspective and emotions.

The following are tips for overcoming negative thoughts. Try each one. They may feel uncomfortable at first, but as you continue to become more aware of the words you say to yourself, you will identify a pattern. A counselor can help you break the cycle.

“Catch” Your Thoughts

As a Holy Spirit-filled Christian, you have the divine weapons to “demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.” (2 Corinthians 10:6, NIV)

It is time to “catch” your own thoughts, taking them captive. Start paying close attention to the words you say aloud, the thoughts driving these words, and your actions. Take note of your emotions. If you notice you suddenly feel depressed or on edge, ask yourself what you were thinking about. Identify the negative thoughts that started the spiral.

Challenge Negative Thoughts

Not everything you think is true. Negative thoughts can seem true, and are often the result of black-and-white thinking (all-or-nothing), catastrophizing (this always happens), or mind-reading (you just know what someone else is thinking or saying).

Challenge these thoughts with the truth. Recognize the mind’s strategy. Ask yourself if what you think is really true.

Reframe Negative Thoughts

Once you have identified the negative thoughts and the strategy, reframe them around the truth. For example, you have no way of knowing what someone is thinking. Often, situations are not clear-cut, so all-or-nothing thinking will not get you anywhere. Consider leaving specific phrases out of your vocabulary for a while, such as saying, “This always happens to me!” or “I bet that happens.”

Work on reframing negative thoughts. Instead of thinking, “I bet she thought I was ignorant,” reframe the thought with, “I have no idea what she was thinking, but I did well, and I’m proud of myself.”

Journal Your Thoughts and Emotions to Reveal Patterns

Identifying and reframing negative thoughts might be easier if you consider journaling your thoughts and emotions to reveal thought and behavioral patterns. When you notice a negative thought, record it in your journal. Ask yourself if it is true and what thought strategy is behind it. Next, write out a reframing statement to counter the negative thought.

A counselor can help you identify patterns and create positive statements to say to yourself when the negative thoughts repeat.

When Negative Thoughts Seem Insurmountable

Sometimes, negative thoughts can seem insurmountable. They can convince us of lies and skew our perception of the truth. This misperception can lead to anxiety, depression, mood disorders, and other mental health conditions.

Contact our office today to schedule a session with a Christian counselor. The counselors in our network offer virtual and in-person sessions, and would love to help you overcome negative thoughts by arming you with the strategies to manage them for good. Speak to a representative today.