Every Thought Captive

The preacher suggested to “take every thought captive.” That is, errant thoughts have no place in our lives. Get rid of them.

Unfortunately, those unwelcome thoughts, over time, can become institutionalized as we spend years trying to uproot them.

So, what to do?

This business of taking every wayward, niggling thought captive is a tough nut to crack.

To capture an elephant or another large wild beast, one might dig a hidden pit covered with branches.

To capture a bee or wasp, one might place a pheromone-attracting substance in an inescapable test tube.

A fly just landed–

One of my best friends will have double knee replacement surgery in three days. In addition, he has a heart condition that compromises his situation. He is not himself since he is highly medicated for pain.

He was frustrated at his current condition. He explained, “You’re used to being who you are. All of a sudden, you’re not who you are.”

The fly had landed–it was a difficult thought that landed.

So–how to take this thought captive? Or is it errant at all?

And how to trap–and dispel–the next errant thought?