As human beings we are not exempt from the tortures of our emotions. We must consider if we have forgiven those who have failed us. Forgiving those who have hurt us is essential, otherwise we will remain locked in the prison of bitterness and hate.
Once we forgive and abandon the old wounds, we must take the next step to be truly free. We have to "take every thought captive" and submit to Christ and his teachings (2 Corinthians 10: 5).
Our minds are battlefields. The enemy of humanity knows that if he can conquer this territory, he can rule the person. Satan, our adversary, throws us harmful thoughts, that's his strategy! That kind of thinking does not belong to the mind of Christ and, therefore, is incompatible with the one who seeks to follow Christ.
Those thoughts adopt different costumes. Whether they are presented in the form of immoral thoughts, deception, anger, lust, hatred or selfishness, we must treat them all in the same way as if they were an enemy army and we have to face them as soldiers on the battlefield. . We have to attack them and take them captive as prisoners of war that we deliver to the commander in chief, to the Lord Jesus Christ. This leaves invaders without weapons that can no longer threaten us.
The apostle Paul gives us the indications:
Abandon all bitterness, anger and anger, shouts and slander, and all forms of malice (Ephesians 4:31).
Can you think of a better description of the different types of destructive thoughts that should be taken captive to Christ?
These thoughts will attempt to attack us in one of two ways: through subterfuges or ambushes. Sometimes they slip away while at other times they remain waiting as a massive force. Whatever the case, we must make the firm decision to pray and say something like the following: "Father, I will not give ground to these thoughts, I will not take them into account. I refuse to prevent him from advancing or dominating me. Refuse to have resentment, bitterness , anger and resentment. I will give all these invading thoughts to the Lord Jesus. "
As this becomes a habit, we discover that our emotions will gradually become under control: the control of Christ.