A note from Kelly King: I recently read a quote that said, “Negative people need drama like oxygen. Stay positive, and it will take their breath away.” Leaders influence others, and if negativity creeps in, it can spread among your team and those who follow you. Carolyn Tatem reminds us today to rid ourselves of “stinking thinking,” and she reminds us to dwell on what is true, honorable, just, and pure.
One of the things that can sabotage a good leader or anyone is “stinking thinking.” I know because I am a leader, and I frequently struggle with “stinking thinking.”
What is stinking thinking?
Stinking thinking includes any negative thoughts that enter the mind. These thoughts come to discourage and create doubt in your ability or God’s ability to do something. These thoughts will often deceive you. In addition, stinking thinking can make you delay in doing what God has told you to do. Take a moment to evaluate your thought life.
Stinking thinking can also cause a leader to operate in fear. Instead of moving forward, you have thought of all the reasons why you shouldn’t do something. What if this happens or what if that happens? You analyze so much that you become paralyzed.
Are leaders exempt?
Progress is hindered when a leader has been sabotaged by stinking thinking. I wish that I could say that leaders are exempt. However, negative thoughts can come to any of our minds. John 10:10 tells us that the enemy comes to kill, steal, and destroy, and one of the ways that he does this is through our thought lives. Think about the dreams, ministries, goals, and plans that have been killed and destroyed because of someone’s stinking thinking.
How do you handle stinking thinking?
Negative thoughts will come, but they don’t have to stay. Our goal should be to quickly get the stinking thinking out of our minds. 2 Corinthians 10:5 says, “Casting down arguments, and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ (NKJV).” When we experience stinking thinking, we must cast it out with the Word of God. Replace negative thoughts with good thoughts.
Thoughts that Please God
Our thoughts are powerful, and if we want to operate in the power of God we must guard our thought lives. Don’t allow stinking thinking to sabotage your leadership. God wants you to have good thoughts.
“Finally brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable — if there is any moral excellence and if there is anything praiseworthy — dwell on these things.”
—Philippians 4:8
Carolyn Tatem is a native of Washington, D. C. She is an author, speaker, and teacher. She currently serves as an Associate Minister. Carolyn loves ministering to women and has been involved with women’s ministry for over 15 years. She has a passion for marriage and enjoys helping singles to prepare for a successful marriage. Carolyn wrote her first book in 2010 titled, Marriage from A to Z (Principles for a Successful Marriage). Since that time, Carolyn has written three additional books. She has been happily married to her husband William for 19 years, and together they have three children.