Issue 3: Taking Every Thought Captive

Dear Reader,

"We take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ."
—2 Corinthians 10:5 (NIV)

Automatic Thoughts

Your mind is constantly active—thoughts pop in without warning, emotions stir up ideas, and attention shifts before you even realize it. That’s not a flaw in your wiring—it’s how God designed the human brain to work. Some thoughts are intentional; others are automatic. Some are prompted by emotion; others are guided by willpower.

Since The Fall

But here’s the thing: not every thought deserves a seat at the table.

Paul’s instruction to “take captive every thought” assumes two things:

1. Some thoughts aren’t helpful (or even true), and
   

2. You have the ability—and the responsibility—to do something about them.

Improving Control

This is where the skill of mindfulness comes in. Mindfulness simply means paying attention on purpose. When applied to the mind itself, it’s the ability to notice what your mind is doing and then choose to shift your focus intentionally. It’s not about emptying your mind—it’s about guiding it.

The ability to shift attention, especially when emotions or distractions take over, is foundational for mental clarity, emotional stability, and spiritual discernment. It’s also really important for memory, cognitive health in general, and many other areas of life, which we’ll get into in coming weeks. 

For the sake of spiritual health, scripture gives us many examples of what to think about (Philippians 4:8), what to fix our eyes on (Hebrews 12:2), and what to shift away from (Ephesians 4:31). But first, we must build the ability to recognize and redirect our thoughts. That’s the starting point.

WHAT TO DO THIS WEEK

 Pay attention to your thoughts.

• Notice when a thought just “pops in.”
  

• Notice when an emotion triggers a string of ideas.
  

• Notice when you choose a thought on purpose.
  

Don’t judge—just observe. Then practice gently shifting your attention from an unhelpful thought to a more helpful one. The more you practice this, the stronger your mind becomes.

Taking your thoughts captive doesn’t mean controlling everything your brain does. It means learning to notice, then choosing what to focus on. That’s a skill you can build—and it starts now.

To Your Mind,

Dr. Matt

Christian Neuropsychologist | Fellow Traveler in Faith and Clarity