Pastor’s Corner: Louie Giglio – Take Control of Negativity

Take Control of Negativity by Walking in Truth

by Louie Giglio Passion City Church Atlanta, Georgia

A few seasons ago, I was in a diffi cult place in leadership, fi lled with confusion, negative feelings, and misunderstandings. So I reached out to a friend to lament and look for a little support. But I'm grateful I had someone who told me what I needed to hear instead of what I wanted to hear in a simple, nine-word text: Don’t give the Enemy a seat at your table. In the moment, I was frustrated because I wanted someone to commiserate with. I wanted my feelings to be validated. But I realized I had let the Enemy dominate my thinking, disrupt my peace of mind, cause confusion and consternation, and keep me up at night. That was the reason I felt like I’d been put through the wringer; I’d been having conversations with a killer. And I didn’t want that for myself anymore.

I decided I was going to take my mind back.

I stared at that message on my phone while I sat in my driveway, contemplating. I decided right then that I was going to take my mind back. I said, “You are not welcome at my table. You are not welcome in this conversation.” And while I know that sounds like a little bit of a spiritual cliché, it’s still powerful. I’ve been leaning on that phrase every single week, every single month since coming through that season. Negative thoughts can come in quickly, often without us knowing. But Jesus has given us the power to decide how long they reside in our minds. We can identify lies like, It’s better at another table, or, You aren’t enough, or, You aren’t going to make it. Then, once they’ve been seen for what they are, we can take those lies captive by the power of Jesus’ name and walk in the freedom of what He says is true. In Psalm 23, God says we’re going to go through the valley of the shadow of death, not just to it. God has brought me through every situation and trial I’ve ever faced in my lifetime. Yes, I’ve got some scars. Yes, I have known pain. But I still made it. Repeat to yourself: “God’s brought me through every time, and I believe God’s going to bring me through this time.” That is how you can take control of the lie and change the narrative to truth.

Adapted for print from the Jesus Calling Podcast. Put your phone in Camera mode and hover over this code to hear more of Louie’s story!

You can fi nd Louie’s latest books, Don’t Give the Enemy a Seat at Your Table and The Wonder of Creation, at your favorite book retailer today.