The power of thought, the ability of our inner world to shape our external reality, is a concept often met with skepticism. “How can mere thoughts, fleeting and intangible, dictate the course of our lives?” I once had a conversation with a friend. She argued with conviction that some thoughts, particularly those born from profound trauma, are beyond control, their presence a constant, painful echo of past horrors.
I countered with biblical wisdom, pointing to Philippians 4:8, urging us to dwell on what is true, noble, and pure, and Proverbs 23:7, reminding us that “as a man thinketh in his heart, so is he.” But my words seemed to fall short when she shared her story of the brutal murder of her father by neighbors during the 1994 Rwandan genocide against the Tutsis. A memory that haunted her every waking moment, a single thought could be like a stone dropped into water, it could take her into a day of profound sadness
How could I preach the power of positive thinking in the face of such a devastating reality? The magnitude of her pain, shared by countless others in Rwanda, left me speechless. She even expressed a willingness to “sell” this thought, if only she could rid herself of its torment.
Then, a realization dawned: her awareness of the thought was the first, crucial step. She understood its power, its ability to trigger a cascade of negative emotions. My advice, then, was not to erase the memory, but to change its impact.
Imagine a ball thrown at a window, as Ernest Holmes illustrated in “The Creative Mind of Success.” unblocked, it shatters the glass. This is the law of cause and effect. But if someone intercepts the ball, the window remains intact. The law hasn’t changed, but its manifestation has been altered.
Similarly, we can intercept the thoughts that threaten to shatter our inner peace. We cannot always prevent the memory from surfacing, but we can prevent it from dictating our emotional state. We can choose to acknowledge the thought without allowing it to break us.
This requires practice, intentionality, and unwavering awareness. It demands a deep understanding that our thoughts, fueled by emotion, create our reality. When the painful memory arises, instead of allowing it to plunge you into despair, consciously redirect your focus. Acknowledge the pain, but refuse to dwell in it. Choose, instead, to cultivate a moment of peace, gratitude, or even a simple act of breathing.
This is not about denying the past, but about reclaiming control of your present. It is about understanding that while the past may have shaped us, it does not define us. We have the power to transcend our experiences, to change the flow of the law within us.
The belief that we are trapped by our circumstances is often the very thing that keeps us trapped. The notion that changing our ways is difficult can become a self-fulfilling prophecy because I hear a lot of people say it is not as easy as you say it, it is easier said than done, or say that you are not in my shoes these statements become the reality since it has already been programmed in our minds to not change. But reality as we perceive it, is only as immovable as we are. By shifting our perspective, by consciously choosing our thoughts and emotions, we can build an unbreakable window of resilience, allowing us to face even the most painful memories with strength and grace.