Learning to Ruminate

Why do we find Rumination so easy to do and Meditation so hard? Why do we seem to automatically slip into Pessimistic Stinking Thinking when we face any type of Adversity?

Ruminating on Negative Thoughts and Stinking Thinking is so popular and easy to do that we Counselors have an acrostic that describes it. ANTS: Don't let the ANTS get us down. This acrostic stands for

Automatic
Negative
Thoughts

Let's say that your favorite teacher makes a cutting comment to you in front of others. One day while at U. C. I came into contact with one of my favorite Professors of Management. He introduced me this way: "Gary is a country boy trying to be like a city boy". I was crestfallen, embarrassed and hurt.

I was immediately overwhelmed with anger, guilt, remorse, fear and panic and a rush of powerful negative thoughts filled my mind and heart. I smiled awkwardly and left the cafeteria. My mind was racing and I began to Ruminate on all the things that were wrong with me as well as all the bad things I thought he meant by that remark. I could not stop the ANTS from intruding into my head. I was unable to focus on anything else the rest of the day. My Stinking Thinking level was at least an 8.5 on a scale of 10!

My Stinking Thinking and ANT dominated thinking was so powerful that it made me anxious, depressed and skittish all day. I was in a bad mood and was unproductive. The university did not get much out of me after that incident.

Back then I had not learned how to renew my mind. I was very prone to thoughts of blame and shame. I said to myself that "Dr. _____ made me feel badly. he upset me. He made me sad and depressed." I would no longer say things like that to myself. I have learned that my greatest enemy is me! My own Ruminating mind. My very personal Stinking Thinking made me sad.

Until I learned to change my mind, take every thought captive to Christ I was often miserable. I had to decide to trust what God says about me and not worry so much about what other people think. So, I was often miserable. I am rarely miserable now even when other attack or disagree with me. I have come a long way in that regard. (Just ask my wife of 50 years.)

Back then, my wife could make me miserable' my kids could make me miserable; my teachers could make me miserable; even the weather could make me miserable. I was out of control! I gave control of my life to everyone else. I gave others the power to make me feel mad, sad, glad or shame.

Thank God I am changing. Why? Because the Bible tells me so. Why does the Bible tell me to change? Because my old way if thinking made me miserable and God wants me to have joy.

Ruminating on my many weaknesses, fears, problems and possible catastrophes will always lead to misery. Meditation about God and His love, power, truth and wisdom leads to joy. I like my current thinking better.

Only I could change me. I had to stop trying to change my wife and change myself. At first I hated it. It was not fair. She was the problem, I thought. Why was I supposed to change? But it was the only way to be joyful and satisfied and happy in my marriage.

What about you? Whom do you want to change?