HopeUC Secunderabad
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HopeUC Secunderabad
Freedom from Overthinking
That sweatshirt with “overthinker” stayed in my closet—I didn’t want to admit what was already true. Overthinking steals peace and keeps us stuck, but God offers freedom.
Philippians 4:6-7 reminds us: pray about everything, thank Him, and His peace will guard your heart. Like Peter walking on water, when we fix our eyes on Jesus instead of the waves, we find calm in the storm.
Take your thoughts captive (2 Cor. 10:5). Focus on what is true, noble, pure, and lovely. Say goodbye to fear—and hello to peace.
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The topic that I have for you here actually stemmed from me receiving a gift. So a couple of months back, my sister-in-law sent me a sweatshirt and the sweatshirt read over thinker. So every time I pulled it out of the closet and I wanted to wear it, I was like I don't want to confess that I'm an over thinker. So I neatly folded it and I kept it back in the closet. Back in the closet. So that's when I started thinking about it. Like, how many of us keep overthinking? We think about the same thing again and again and again. Yes, so if you see my title slide, it says freedom from overthinking. So you see, that person there is plagued with so many thoughts. Okay, science and research says that overthinking is like a loop that we tend to keep forming in our brain. Okay, a loop is like an endless. It doesn't have a start or an end to it. It just keeps on, going and going and we keep creating these loops over and over again in our mind. How many of you, when you go to sleep in the night, you lay in bed and you are thinking about the entire day. You are dissecting everything from morning, all that you have done, you have said, the places where you have gone to, you keep thinking, oh, I shouldn't have said this, I shouldn't have done that, I shouldn't have won this, I should have won this. How many of us think about these things? Many of us, constantly. We are bombarded with thoughts over and over, thinking about the decisions probably we have taken in the past or may not have taken, and what our future is going to be. This is something that we all struggle with. Overthinking fills our mind with a lot of worry. Yes, some great preacher said that. You know, god has called us to be warriors, but we often end up being warriors. We worry all the time about what is going to happen to our lives. Okay, so according to the dictionary, it says what is this overthinking? Overthinking is to think too much about something, okay, and to put too much time into thinking about or analyzing something in a way that is more harmful than helpful Okay. So we know this is not going to benefit us in any way whatsoever, because it is more harmful for us than helpful, okay, overthinking is also in scientific language. Also, a word is used which describes it's called to ruminate. Okay, who ruminates? A cow ruminates. Have you any time seen a cow After it has eaten grass, it will again bring back the cud into the mouth and it will start chewing again. That is to ruminate, that is a natural part of their digestion. But what is it doing? It is going over and over and over again. Okay, so we are also ruminating in our thoughts many a time. But what does Bible say of overthinking? Is it helpful, harmful? What does the Bible say? Okay, the Bible offers us a better path than to overthink, because the Bible offers us a path that is filled with peace, with trust, okay, and also renewed thinking, as opposed to overthinking, okay.
Speaker 1:So, like I told you when we discussed about, you know, anger, that everything has a root, so overthinking also has a root. And what is this root, my friends? This root is linked to anxiety. Okay, have you heard of this word? Panic attack.
Speaker 1:Yes, so many of the youngsters nowadays suffer from social anxiety. What is the social anxiety? It has a term now, when we were young. Anxiety. It has a term now when we were young. You know, if you're not able to mingle in a crowd, if you're not able to mingle with your peers, then we call them oh, they're shy. But now there is a term for it. We call it social anxiety.
Speaker 1:How many of us have these anxieties For everything? There is a word now the dictionary has coined For everything. There is a word now the dictionary has coined for everything. There is a word you feel your heart races too fast if you have to say hello to somebody and in church, so many times, you are saying say hello to your neighbor, say hello to your neighbor. I don't know how many of you are having panic attacks in church. Yes, okay, we are laughing about it, but it is something very, very real. My friends, I'll share something from my own personal life that probably will help you.
Speaker 1:Okay, because the mind is very complex. When you overplay things in your mind which was some point of time which was traumatic for you, the mind doesn't know the difference if it is happening now or it has happened in the past, but the mind will think that you're experiencing the same thing at that present moment and it will send you into a panic emotion. Okay, so five years back, I lost my mother, okay, and she passed away in an ambulance. Okay, even as I was begging for the doctor to give me a ventilator bed. Me and my husband were begging for a bed. That's when my mom passed away in an ambulance, and every time I recollected that incident it gave me palpitations. You know what are palpitations? You can hear your heart beating so fast, like it's in your mouth. Okay, that is palpitation. So every time I thought about that incident it took me back into that trauma and I felt as though I was experiencing all that once again. I had to ask God to help me heal from that situation.
Speaker 1:Okay, many times we have a lot of traumas in our lives and we are reliving those traumas every day because we are thinking about it over and over again. So what does the Bible offer us? Let us see what the Bible is teaching us what to do in such kind of situations. Okay, philippians, chapter 4, verses 6 to 7. It says don't worry about anything, instead pray about everything. Tell God what you need and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God's peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your heart and your mind as you live in Christ Jesus. So what is Apostle Paul telling us? He says don't worry about anything, instead pray about everything. Okay, and what is he saying in verse seven? You will experience the peace of God that will guard your heart and your mind. So, when you are plagued with these thoughts concerning your future, your life, your decision, your job, your marriage okay, whatever it could be submit to God and pray, and that's when where you'll experience the peace of God.
Speaker 1:My friends, I'm telling you, in any decision making process, okay, the peace of God is very important. I'll tell you a small secret today. Before I married Pastor Comfort, when his alliance came to me, okay, I prayed, fasted and prayed for one week, and when I felt the peace of God, that's when I said yes to him. And today you see how happily married we are. Okay, so I was just 21 years old when I got married. I wasn't too mature, but I just let the peace of God help me to make that decision. I come from a family which is a broken family. I've seen a lot of troubles in my mom and my dad's married life. Therefore, I didn't have that perfect picture of a husband. For many years I actually hated men because I felt all men will trouble their wives, will give trauma to their wives, so I was averse to the idea of marriage. But God changed everything when he brought my husband comfort into my life. So can I tell you, submit everything into God's hands. The peace of God will help you make those decisions, my friends. Okay, let's look at an example from the Bible about how Peter overcame his anxiety when he was attempting to walk on the water One of the biggest miracles in the history and in time a man walking on water. You can walk on ice when it is frozen, but you can't walk on water. Yes, it's very fluid, yeah, okay, let's read Matthew, chapter 4, 14, verses 24 to 31. Okay, it says Meanwhile the disciples were in trouble, far away from the land, for a strong wind had risen and they were fighting heavy waves.
Speaker 1:About three o'clock in the morning, jesus came towards them walking on the water. When the disciples saw him walking on the water, they were terrified. In their fear, they cried out it's a ghost. But Jesus spoke to them at once. Don't be afraid. He said, take courage, I am here. Then Peter called to him Lord, if it is really you, tell me to come to you walking on the water. Yes, come, jesus said. So Peter went over the side of the boat and walked on the water towards Jesus. Okay, but when he saw the winds and the waves, the winds were beating against the waves, and the waves were splashing all across when he shifted his focus from Jesus towards the raging sea. That's when he began to sink, my friends.
Speaker 1:So what is the moral of the story? The moral of the story is never to lose focus of Jesus. Keep your eyes fixed on Jesus. The word of God says he's the author and the finisher of our faith, he who promised is faithful till the end. People will leave you midway, my friends. Okay. They will leave you midway, but Jesus will not leave you. He will make sure you will cross over to the other side to reach your destiny, my friends, okay. So the moral is that Peter, when he looked at the circumstances, he was sinking. But if you're able to keep our faith in God, we will not sink, but we will have the courage to move on in life. Amen. 2 Timothy, chapter 1, verse 7, says For the spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline.
Speaker 1:Overthinking comes from fear, my friends the fear of failure, the fear of being ridiculed, the fear of not being able to stand up or fear of being compared to others, the fear that the society, the pressure that is put by society, if you are not able to meet that standard. That is the fear that is controlling most of us. Oh, by 10th class, by 15 years. You should finish 10th class. By 17, 18, you should finish your 12th by 21,. You should finish degree by 23, 24,. You should finish your 12th by 21,. You should finish degree by 23, 24,. You should finish master's. Okay, by 26, 27,. You should be married. These are some of the standards, you know, the society sets for us.
Speaker 1:But if you're not able to fall in that, then there is so much of pressure. These are all pressures that are coming from the enemy, my friends. It is a trap of the enemy to keep you in that loop of anxiety. But today, with a word, let us break that loop. We will come out of that loop of anxiety and we will know how to conquer our fears. Okay, the fear of the unknown, the fear of the future that many of us struggle with. Even as I'm teaching you, my friends, I'm addressing my own fears. I'm not here to say that I'm perfect. Okay, even as I'm teaching you, I'm addressing my own fears in my own life. Amen. 1 Peter 5, verse 7, says Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you. Yes, jesus loves you and he cares for you. Therefore, he's saying, cast all your anxiety on him.
Speaker 1:Have you ever seen friends you know in school? You know your early best friends. Like you know what? Do you call them Besties? No, nowadays we call them besties or you call them before anyone. What is that? Bffs Before anyone else? Okay, you've seen school, in school, besties. If one friend is tired, then this other friend will take their bag and will carry two bags and he'll be walking and will give some relief to the friend. Have you seen friends like this? Hey, carry my bag for some time. Yeah, because I'm so tired. Can I tell you my friends, jesus is your bestie. You can give your bag to him. You can give your bag to him. He's more than willing to carry your bag. But you are there struggling carrying. Your shoulders are down. You're so tired. Can I tell you today, hand over that heavy bag to Jesus. He is more than willing to carry that burden for you. You don't have to carry your worries alone. Jesus is more than willing to help us out.
Speaker 1:Okay, proverbs, chapter 3, verses 5 to 6, it says Trust in the Lord with all your heart. Do not depend upon your own understanding. Seek his will in all you do and he will show you which path to take. Many of us are confused. Which path to take? Should I take BIPC? Should I take CEC? Should I take MPC? Students, okay. Should I go to US? Should I go to UK? Should I go to UK? Should I go to Australia? Master students? So confused, we are so confused. Can I tell you you don't need anybody else, you need only the Holy Spirit, and God is more than willing to guide you. He's saying trust in the Lord with all your heart. Do not depend on your own understanding. Seek his will in all that you do and he will show you which path to take. God is willing to guide our steps. My friends, trusting in God instead of overthinking yes.
Speaker 1:James, chapter 1, verses 6 to 8, says but let him ask in faith, with no doubting. James, chapter 1, verses 6 to 8, says Let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord. He is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways. This is somebody who we should not be Unstable, doubting. James is warning us that we will not receive anything from God if we are like this, but many times the sad truth is. We are like this. We look at ourselves, we get all pumped up on a Sunday morning, but when we go back home we feel all down and defeated Because you do not know who you are in Christ Jesus.
Speaker 1:I often tell this to all the church members, or anybody I'm talking to on a one-on-one have a deposit of the word in your heart, my friend, because if you don't know what the scripture says about your situation, how are you going to counteract the acts of the enemy? If you don't know the scripture, you are a soft and an easy target for the enemy. You have no ammunition to protect yourself. That's why the word says you need to have the full armor of God. You have to protect yourself against the viles of the enemy. Okay, so we have to not be like this person that James is talking about double-minded and unstable. God doesn't want us to be like that, because many times when we are like this, we are unable to make any decision and we feel trapped and stuck in our decision making, and that's not what God wants for you.
Speaker 1:Okay, the next verse Romans, chapter 12, verse 2,. It says how to renew your mind with the truth. Don't copy the behaviors and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Overthinking fills the mind with doubts and fears, but God's word transforms our thinking. Let the word transform your mind, the way you think. You have been used to a way of thinking, but once you are born again, you have to let the word dictate terms to your thinking as well. Amen, and just like I said before, the peace of Christ.
Speaker 1:Overthinking steals our peace. There is no peace, but Jesus says that he offers us peace. He says in John, chapter 14, verse 27,. It says Peace I leave with you. My peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid. Okay, whatever the world gives us is only temporary, my friends, but what Jesus offers us is eternal peace and a stable mind is what God is offering us. A very practical step.
Speaker 1:What do we do when we are plagued with these thoughts that never seem to end and you don't know what to do, how to put an end to this overthinking? Okay, it says in 2 Corinthians, chapter 10, verse 5,. We don't have to let our thoughts controlinking. Okay, it says in 2 Corinthians 10, verse 5,. We don't have to let our thoughts control us. Okay, we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ. If there is any thought which is contrary to the word of God, my friends, you and me have the authority to take that thought captive to Christ. Always compare it against the scripture, because the scripture is our gold standard of how we know to evaluate our thoughts. When overthinking begins, we can stop and ask is this thought from God? And if it is not from God, then you rebuke those thoughts in the name of Jesus and take them captive and make a conscious effort not to dwell on those thoughts. Is this helpful, church? Are you finding this helpful? Because I know this is something that we don't talk about much and I definitely felt that this generation, we all of us, struggle with this issue and that's the reason why I wanted to bring this up today morning.
Speaker 1:There is a fear of the future. I was sharing in the first service. Many times you feel scared to walk into a dark room. We used to have this small room in our house when my older daughter, shauna, was, you know, just about a year or two years old, and we also had my brother-in-law's son living with us, and both of them. When I used to tell my brother-in-law's son, sam, sam, go get your plate, we'll eat lunch, he used to get so scared to walk into that dark room, so he, he would call Shana and he said, shana, come with me, and they both would walk together and they would get their plates.
Speaker 1:Okay, so the dark room where you can't see anything is fearful, and so is our future, my friends. We feel we don't know what's going to happen in the future, so it kind of scares us. But can I tell you, god is the one who's writing your story. He knows your future, my friends. He knows your climax, and can I tell you it's going to be a good and a glorious climax, because God's word says he who promised is faithful, faithful till the end. My friends. Men will leave you midway, but he will never leave you. So can I tell you all your needs, all your wants, all your desires, everything that is keeping you awake at night. He knows everything, my friends, and he has a plan for your life, good plans, good plans to give you a future and a hope. God does not have evil plans for us, he only has good plans for your life.
Speaker 1:Okay, isaiah, chapter 46, verses 9 to 10, says I will make known the end from the beginning. My purpose will stand and I will do all that I please. Okay. Paul says so. What can we do instead of overthinking? Okay, apostle Paul gives us a strategy. He says so, what can we do instead of overthinking? Okay, apostle Paul gives us a strategy. He says whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable, think about such things. So, instead of overthinking the negative, focus on the things which are positive, okay, which are true, noble, right, pure, lovely. Think about such things is what Apostle Paul is telling us.
Speaker 1:Okay, even before, I share a beautiful story with you, the last point is you have to be guided by the Spirit, my friends. Yes, when he, the spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all the truth. Who is this? He? It's the Holy Spirit, my friends. Jesus promised us a helper. He said I will go, but I will send you a helper and he will guide you into all truth. Okay, the Holy Spirit leads us with wisdom and he directs our steps at the right time. You might be thinking I don't have wisdom of the world. I don't know how to do things right. Can I tell you, when the Holy Spirit takes over you, his wisdom will flow through you. My friends and you will make the right decisions, because he will enable you to do it. Many of us.
Speaker 1:Statistics are showing that overthinking is referred to as a silent killer. Okay, because not many people are talking about it. It's a silent killer. It's much more prevalent in young and middle-aged adults. Okay, so the stats are up on the screen. You can see.
Speaker 1:Okay, what is it that is causing all this overthinking? Social media pressure? Yes, social media. You see picture of somebody, you see a picture of a group of friends, you see a picture of a family, you see a picture of a vacation. You think everything is real, but it's all curated. It's all curated. Constant comparison with others, curated lives creates self-doubt and insecurity.
Speaker 1:There is information overload For everything. You have Google. Before, if you had to research any topic, you had to go sit in the library grab a book, but now you have Google. So there is what is called as information overload. We have so much of information that is leading to mental paralysis, we don't know what to do. Information overload.
Speaker 1:And then you also have, like I told you, fear of failure, very scared about what the society expects from us. Leave alone society. Our family only will expect. All my family is all PG. You also have to do PG, something that we hear all the time. Right, okay, the fear of failure. Lack of mindfulness the time right? Okay, the fear of failure. Lack of mindfulness Many of us are living life without being mindful.
Speaker 1:We are not present in the moment. We are not enjoying that moment because our minds are occupied somewhere else. Lack of mindfulness busy lifestyles leave little room for stillness or mental clarity. Uncertain future okay, what is happening in the world? So much is happening in the world Economic instability, job competitions, global issues, increased anxiety about what's ahead.
Speaker 1:Yes, low self-esteem. Many times we are don't have confidence in ourselves. We don't like the way we look. Yes, we are so hard to ourselves. Sometimes I think we need to love ourselves also. What do you say? We need to love ourselves. My friends, you are created in the image of God, in the very image of God. Okay, so there's nothing wrong about you. There's nothing that is incomplete about you. God has created you in his perfect image. Okay, trauma or past experiences, painful memories, unresolved issues can also trigger repetitive thinking patterns. So we have learned from the word of God how we need to overcome these things through the word of God.
Speaker 1:I'm going to talk to you about a story of a gymnast, okay, a lady who entered the US Olympic finals and she was in the Olympics of Tokyo, 2020. Okay, so we know this is COVID. 2020 is when COVID started, right? Okay, so she was in the US representing US at Tokyo, and her name is Simone Biles. Okay, simone Biles told journalists earlier that day that she was having a little bit of what was called as the twisties. It was reported on 28 July 2021.
Speaker 1:Okay, so, basically, what are these twisties? Okay, for layman, we may not understand what these twisties are. Okay, so let me read to you what exactly these twisties are, okay. Okay, she said gymnasts have described the twisties as a kind of a mental block. Okay, in some sports, a sudden mental block, like the yips in golf, may cost you a missed put or a lost game. So in gymnastics, it can cause a person to lose their sense of space or dimension when they are in the air. Okay, and when they are causing these flips, they tend to make extra flips which they haven't planned before, and that can cause them to have an unstable landing which can hurt them. So the Simone Biles withdrew herself from the Olympics twice because she experienced a mental block, this twisty, when she was up in the air.
Speaker 1:So can you see how much havoc overthinking plays, my friends. It must have started as overthinking which led to that situation. All of us struggle with this. So can I encourage you, my friends, that it is time to say goodbye to all this. There's a beautiful song that I've been listening to lately. It's called Fear is Not your Future. It's called Fear Is Not your Future. It's by Maverick City Music, okay, and in that there is one stanza which says goodbye fear, goodbye guilt, goodbye shame and goodbye to the grave. And it says hello peace, hello love, hello joy, hello strength. Can we do that, my friends? Can we say goodbye to all that shame, that guilt, that trauma, that past, and can we welcome, say hello to the strength of God, to the love of God, to the peace that he has promised?