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If you’ve ever experienced spiraling thoughts, you probably know just how helpless it can leave you feeling. Sometimes it can be difficult to stay grounded in reality. In this episode, my dear friend and today’s guest Casey Cardinio shares openly about her longtime battle with fear and anxiety, provides a practical framework for managing intrusive thoughts, and gives an encouragement to everyone listening to know the ultimate Truth – Jesus. Our conversation is full of vulnerability and Scripture, and I hope it leaves you feeling better equipped to decipher true thoughts from untrue ones.
Casey has a long history with anxiety and has worked diligently with the Lord and mental health professionals to get to where she is today. We know this is common, especially among young people (even Casey’s second grade students are already experiencing anxious patterns!) She describes spiraling as a “tornado” in our minds that goes beyond just anxiety. It spins so quickly that you can’t stop it, and it often leaves damage and debris in its wake. But we can choose whether to follow a spiral before it gets to that point. It takes practice that can sometimes feel repetitive, but it’s necessary in order to walk in freedom from the thoughts that feel real when they’re actually not.
I absolutely loved how Casey shared her heart about Psalm 23, and in particular the words “even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death…” So often life can feel like that, can’t it? But Scripture doesn’t say “even if I walk through the valley” – it says even though, meaning that the Psalmist was experiencing similar difficulties to what you and I may be facing. Even though an intrusive thought threatens to make you spiral, God is still sovereign and He is still your shepherd. He is guiding you, He is leading you, and He cares for you, every step of the way.
3 key takeaways from this episode:
Determining whether thoughts are true or untrue
As followers of Jesus, it is so important that we are able to decipher between true and untrue thoughts. This is why the Bible emphasizes the importance of “renewing your mind” each day. We can assess the truthfulness of a thought by comparing it to God’s Word.
The Four “R’s” (Relabel, Reattribute, Refocus, Revalue)
Casey finds the Four “R” framework helpful when it comes to managing intrusive thoughts. We must relabel the thought as untrue, reattribute its origin or cause, refocus on a thought we know for sure to be true, and finally revalue the intrusive thought by throwing it away.
How to practice the art of renewing your mind daily
To renew our minds, we must meditate on the truths of God day and night and declare them over our lives. It’s important to be proactive about this through reading Scripture, going to church, having biblical community, and prioritizing the presence of God every day.
Here are all the things mentioned in this episode:
Casey’s list of true things:
Truth things to focus on:
All things have been created through God and for God (Colossians 1:16)
God is faithful and God keeps his promises with His people (Deut 7:9)
God is unchanging (James 1:17)
God is forgiving, good, he loves us, he answers us when we call, he is unlike any other, he does wonderful things (Psalm 86:5-10)
The Lord turns his face towards me (Matthew 6:26)
God is gracious and righteous and compassionate (Psalm 116:5)
I am alive in Christ (Ephesians 2:5)
I am handpicked (Jeremiah 1:5)
I am worth more than rubies (Proverbs 31:10)
I am a friend of Christ (John 15:15)
God sees me (Isaiah 66:1-2)
