Breaking Up with Thinking: How to Enter the Peace of God

All In My Head

For much of my life, I, like most humans, have lived in my mind. As I take a walk in the beauty of nature, my brain is daydreaming about that delicious meal I plan on cooking later on that day and inventorying the fridge. Shoot–we’re out of soy sauce. Is there a decent substitute for that?

In that moment, I’m so far from reality that it would take an equally absent-minded antlered mammal to mow me over before I would be in any way present.

Hours later, that delicious meal is finally making its way into my belly, completely unnoticed by the one eating it. My brain is instead counting calories (way to ruin a good meal, brain!) and planning out the rest of the evening.

More than Just Missing Out

Unfortunately, I don’t think I’m the only one anywhere but present for my own life. In doing so, we are missing out on countless beautiful moments. But the greatest pain isn’t what we’re missing, but rather what we replace the glory of the present moment with: fear, guilt, shame, and worry.

We worry about the future. Fear what might be. Experience regret, guilt and shame from what happened in the past.

Pause a moment here and consider the past hour or so of your life. What thoughts are replacing the peace of the present moment, the peace of God, in your mind?

Unfortunately, the majority of our thoughts destroy our peace, rob us of our joy, and separate us from the love of God

It’s time to break up with our minds.

Step 1: Giving Up the Lies

The first step to making a clean break from the mind is to realize what is hindering us from making the change: We are in love with thinking. At some point, we believed the lie that it’s beneficial and often enjoyable to vacation in our brains instead of being fully present to our lives.

Let’s consider the myths that we often believe, and replace these harmful lies with truth.

Myth #1: Daydreaming is more enjoyable than the real world.

There are a few rare times this is true. If I were about to have my leg amputated with no aenesthetic, I think I would go for any mental distraction over being fully present with the pain. Some may also feel that daydreaming is more enjoyable than math class. As a math teacher, I find that insulting.

There are times when our mental escapades are positive and uplifting and of genuine benefit to us. However, by and large, our thoughts are negative. They lead us into fear, guilt, worry, or unfulfilled desires.

Truth: 99% of the time, genuine reality (yes, even that boring lesson on ASA triangle congruence proofs) has far more beauty and joy than the junk we are filling out minds with.

Myth #2: Our lives will fall apart if we don’t think.

Ever have a brilliant idea come to you when you weren’t actively trying to find a solution to the problem? Perhaps felt inspired to call someone or felt you were “given” the words to speak? We won’t debate whether these moments are divinely inspired or the workings of the subconscious (or both?). However, they certainly aren’t products of the conscious mind.

Since breaking up with thinking, I find that, rather than falling apart, I am more reliable, I have better, deeper conversations with people, and I find solutions more quickly and easily.

You don’t need to run through that conversation with your mother-in-law (not my mother-in-law–she’s cool) 1,000 times to improve the relationship or make yourself feel better. Instead, you need to shut up your brain and open your heart. As a result, everyone (including your mother-in-law) will benefit.

Truth: Letting go of conscious thought leads to our most brilliant ideas and our best lives.

Myth #3: Thinking about God is the best way to draw closer to Him

Eh…maybe. If you’re reading the Bible and actively studying it/devoting your mind to the precepts, sure. But, this is typically the exception.

More likely, the constant running dialogue drowns out the voice of the Spirit. We miss out on the moments of connection with God and for his quiet leading.

Truth: God is in the present moment. The Holy Spirit speaks to us in the small, still voice within our hearts.

Step 2: Practicing Mental Stillness

Take the time to root out your attachments to thinking. Examine them closely and test them. Does worrying solve your problems? Does dwelling on the past or future bring peace? Has trying to “think” about God given you the relationship with God you have desired, or, more importantly, significantly molded you to be more like Christ?

Once you are ready and willing to release your attachment to thinking, you are more than halfway to freedom. Our minds are interesting beasts, sometimes compared to monkeys, bouncing and swinging hither and thither, often without rhyme or reason. But, like any good monkey, your mind can be trained and, to some extent, silenced.

Meditation

Meditation is a wonderful time to lovingly, compassionately allow the mind to practice stillness. Remember those old school Tom and Jerry cartoons? Tom would watch that hole in the wall like a hawk, ready and waiting to pounce if ever Jerry made an appearance.

Imagine watching the mind like that, ready and waiting for the next thought. When it appears, watch it scurry on by and then wait for the next one. Meditation can at times turn into something akin to a game of whack-a-mole–you just can’t wait to get another one!

Another version of this practice (not original to me) is to imagine that your thoughts are clouds in the summer sky and watch them simply drift on by. In this process you are unattached to your thoughts, watching them come and go without claiming them as “your thoughts” or pursuing any particular one.

The idea of thoughts as clouds is peaceful and quite beautiful.

I prefer whack-a-mole. To each their own.

The Peace of God

Eventually, as you practice, you may experience a deep sense of serenity with those brief periods of stillness. Cherish them. It is these moments that make life worth living–the moments when you are intensely aware that God is good, life is unfolding just as it should, and you are safe in His arms.

As you go deeper, you realize that nothing else matters but your deepening relationship with God. It is in that relationship that you are transformed and equipped for any service God would ask of you. All other worldly concerns fall into the background or fall away entirely. Life looks different when you see it through the eyes of God–the eyes of peace.

Returning to the Moment

Though in meditation we have concentrated practice focusing our attention, we strengthen our ability to be present even more if we practice throughout our day.

When you notice yourself stressed, anxious, or not in peace for any reason, draw your attention to your thoughts–are you in the present moment? What pulled your from it? Notice the lies you have believed and again recenter your attention on the here and now: where the presence of the Spirit resides.

Here for the long haul

Ultimately, spiritual transformation is a lifelong journey, one of many steps, some expected and planned for, some unknown. Yet, God is looking not for the spiritually advanced or talented in the things of the heart, but rather for those willing to be formed into his disciples, those willing to surrender attachment to “ourselves” and the mind and serve Him alone.

The simple fact that you are reading this now means that some part of you is ready for that next step. That is all you need to know–that you are willing and ready to grow. God will take care of the rest.