Here's something that happened last week that has been sort of bothering me. We have a new member at our church and he's a really nice guy. However, his looks remind me of the "Dasterly Dan" type from old cartoons. The curly mustache and slicked back black hair. Sort of an old fashioned guy. So, I was digging out a little form to give him to register with the church and my mind was wondering about him and I thought, "He really looks sort of devilish." Then that thought led to "What if he is the devil and he is coming to make trouble in the Church?" Well, as I write that I see that it is dumb and that this nice guy is going to be a wonderful addition to the congregation. But, it's not so much the thought that bothered me. It's the fact that I thought it. You know what I mean? I thought to myself, "Now what are you doing? Are you trying go crazy? Only crazy people would think such things. What if you start thinking crazy devil stuff all the time and end up like those weird old ladies that talk to themselves on the street corner?" And on and on.... I keep hoping that many people think stuff like that but they just think it and move on like it's no big deal. And the difference is that I just think it and then worry about why I think it. You know? Am I making any sense? Any insight would be greatly appreciated. Thank you!

LeslieAnne,
Just want to reassure you that people think those same thoughts and worse! I should know, I am one of them! Ha! or better yet !
I just encourage you to know that these are very very normal thoughts. Learn to laugh at these silly thoughts, and ignore the awful ones (if you have them! ). They are just spontaneous thoughts. I think of them like I do my dreams. They are something that we can't help from popping into our minds, but we CAN choose to laugh at them, or move past them and not give them any hold on us. Try not to "push" them away, that won't help, just try to move past them with comforting, positive thoughts, and give yourself a noogie for worrying about the silly ones. This is what I strive to do with myself.
Hope this helps, and take good care.

Grateful, thank you so much for your reassurance. I am glad that you understand what I'm talking about. I wish I could wave that good old magic wand and clear my mind of these thoughts, but I guess we all have our little crosses to bear. Thanks so much for replying!

I would say something spiritual here, but I'll only get myself in trouble....lol
Im sure that over the years, I have thought that my wife was the devil...or my daughter. Or my boss. I just thought of something.....try to top this: when I was 17 or 18, one of my fears was that I was the antichrist!!! I use to think, "Yea, but if I am, wouldnt I know it?" "Maybe God doesnt want me to know it." "Maybe I wont know until I am revealed."
I used to have these blasphemous thoughts in my head, so I figured I was so evil, that maybe, just maybe I was the Man of sin himself......oh well....

Oh my gosh Joe, I used to have those thoughts and then I thought well the anti-christ is a man and then I thought well wonder if I get pregnant and the child is the anti-christ. I used to literally freak myself out with these thoughts. One day our pastor was talking about the anti-christ and I thought "you know, the anti-christ was a little baby at one point-totally unaware to the fact that he was an anti-christ" and then that's when it all started. Also, I used to be (until lately) freaked out by demons. I kept thinking wonder if I am not truly saved and I am really possessed and wonder if I start acting weird and vile-like the girl on that scary demon movie from the seventies. I used to freak out about it and send myself into a panic. And then when people would start to read the bible or pray I would get nervous because I kept thinking "well, if I am posessed the demon should start freaking out at any point." It was a nightmare....!!!!!!!!!!1

Wow, I guess I'm not the only one who lets my imagination wonder off with me. But you know what, it's all the devil, really. He's the one who steals our joy by whispering those old negative lies in our ears when we should be praising. As good ol' Joyce would say, "Are you worrying or worshipping?"

Hey Val.....its nice to finally meet a fellow anti-christ!! I thought I was the only one! lol
The devil is a scumbag liar. I thank God for this program because God used this program to bring me back into right relationship with Him. I believe the Lord uses this program to help people to fight off the lies of the enemy. Satan hates all of us...the Bible says that the devil has come to kill, steal and destroy. His weapons are thoughts. How did Jesus defeat the devil in the wilderness? He only answered the devil by saying, "It is written". So Lucinda teaches the same principle through lesson three, where we are taught to answer the lies by speaking the truth about ourselves. Well Val, Im glad that we're no longer the anti-christ. But I still love the "Exorcist", the 70's movie you referred to. I saw that in the theater when it came out. I was 16 or 17. I used to have a 4 post bed at the time....like in the movie. My friend and I were terrified after the movie that night....my parents werent home...if I remember correctly, my friend and I went into the house and got so scared that we ran outside!!! But thats a cool movie.

Joe, that was hilarious-"fellow anti-christ." Well, there goes our delusion-seeing how there is only one anti-christ not two! Hee hee...

Anyways, I can't and won't see that movie-I would obsess about it forever-thinking I was like that girl-too much for me to handle! Yikes!

Val....LOL

"But it's not so much the thought that bothered me. It's the fact that i thought it."

oh leslieanne- you couldn't have written it better. boy- can i relate to that statement completely!!
as most of you know, my horrible thoughts often have to do with my kids. the thoughts themselves don't trouble me- it's the fact that i thought them. the fact that i "think" those things makes me fearful that there might be truth to it. is this how you end up feeling for having thought it?
it's sort of like- "well why i else would i think it unless there's truth to it?" boy- that's scary for me because if there's truth to it then i am a horrible, cold hearted, evil mother. but usually after long obsessive thinking i come to realize and to convince myself that there's no truth to any of that crap. it's all a big fat LIE! i'm the EXACT OPPOSITE of a horrible, evil mother. i come to see that i wasted so much energy and time because of fear, anxiety and a wild imagination. i'm really trying to learn and practice what we're taught in lesson 3. it's hard sometimes to head off the negative worry and anxiety from my awful thougths. it's even harder to not let them scare me or make me think the worst of myself, but i keep trying, as i know each of us does- until one day everything we've learned kicks in and starts working. that's when we come to "KNOW" the truth. and the truth is that we are all God's children and we are good, wonderful, loving people who have nothing to fear. we are not our thoughts- not a one! we often lose touch with our hearts and souls- with who we really are. we often think we're "bad" or not good enough, but this is all untrue, whether we believe it or not.

as for your thoughts about that guy- i hope you're not worried about it anymore. you have nothing to fear- he isn't the devil, but i can relate to those thoughts. i was having scary thoughts about the devil just a few weeks ago. what surprised me most about my thoughts is that i personally don't believe in "it". (i hope that doesn't offend anyone). to each their own in what they believe in or don't, right? that's not to say that i don't realize i could be wrong. maybe a devil does exist, but i don't care one way or another. it doesn't matter one bit. so don't be afraid. focus on God and all your blessings.
God, our loved ones, our lives- are all that matter. the rest is insignificant.

take care!
lyn

Thanks Lyn, I'm glad to know I'm not alone in this scary thinking. I hope someday we make it to the other side and can laugh about all those silly thoughts instead of worrying over them. Oh well...some day.