“The mind is like a mill: when it lacks corn, it grindeth upon itself”
Thomas Manton
It’s an inescapable part of life to experience worries. Sometimes we do things to put ourselves in situations that brings on stress, and sometimes things happen outside of our control to land us in a hard spot. What we do in these times can help or hurt us. We must occupy our mind.
I had a terrible event happen about 15 years ago. I won’t go into the personal details because it brings up so many bad memories. It happened in what seemed to be a split second, and changed my life forever. For many months I was mentally defeated. I cared for nothing but the resolution of my trouble. Every thought that raced through my mind was dedicated to this trial I was suffering through. And to make it worse, someone else suffered as well. And knowing they suffered made my pain far worse than if I were going through it alone.
For months my mind was like an empty mill, only grinding itself away. It sent me into a deep mental depression and I couldn’t think of anything outside of myself. My thoughts were eating me away and destroyed any joy that came my way.
About at the halfway point of this 10 month battle I began to have some realizations. This began a process of healing and forgiveness. I had done nothing wrong, what I was dealing with was terrible, but I had completely forgiven this person and had even told this person so.
God opened my eyes to the troubles of people around me. He did this this through prayer and scripture. Before I was placed on that terrible path I lived a selfish life, and God revealed that through His word. I began to see this trial as God’s way of drawing me to Himself. He freed my mind of the drama and I began to study scripture intensely. My thought process changed, I began to think of His commands, His promises.
I started to see my situation not as just a trial, but also as a guided path. People hurt and suffered around me and I had not paid attention. I began to see my worry as a minor issue when I realized the depth of troubles of those around me. My trial was not minor in any way though, it was a despicable act of vengeance on the part of another, but I knew it was necessary to get me where God had ultimately determined.
Through prayer and scripture I began to feel peace. My life had changed drastically and hardened my heart towards everything in the beginning, but when I started to occupy my thoughts on God, He began to allow me to see this trial as a good thing. And from that moment my life drastically changed again. This time for the better.
God allowed me to memorize verses during those 10 months. These verses would play through my mind all day and night. Anytime the mill would get close to empty, I would pray the verses out loud. Psalms 23 was the first I put to memory.
“The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me to lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside the still waters. He restores my soul; He leads me in the paths of righteousness for His name’s sake. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; For You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You anoint my head with oil; My cup runs over. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life; And I will dwell in the house of the Lord Forever”
There are many times still now when I pray this. Many times when my mind gets stuck on something and I remember the verses that helped me so much during my darkest time. My mind often goes back to when I first see God drawing me to Himself. Those promises I memorized are always a constant reminder that when I can’t do for myself, God will supply me. When my enemy attacks, God is not blind to it and hears my prayer for help.
This won’t just work for me, it will work for all who believe on His name. Worries, troubles, affliction and anxieties will surely come, but when we make it a priority to think first on God, keep the Kingdom of God in our sight, and trust His words, He will help. It may not align with your time schedule and may not have the end result that you had imagined. But when our heart is set on Him, and we occupy our mind on heavenly promises, when your mill is low He won’t let your mind grind away.
Here are a few verses that I go to as a reminder.
- Psalm 34:4 “I sought the LORD, and he answered me
and delivered me from all my fears.” - Psalm 55:22 “Cast your burden on the LORD,
and he will sustain you;
he will never permit
the righteous to be moved.” - Psalm 56:3 “When I am afraid,
I put my trust in you.” - Psalm 94:19 “When the cares of my heart are many,
your consolations cheer my soul.” - Psalm 118:6-7 “The LORD is on my side; I will not fear.
What can man do to me?
The LORD is on my side as my helper;
I shall look in triumph on those who hate me.” - Isaiah 35:4 “Say to those who have an anxious heart,
‘Be strong; fear not!
Behold, your God
will come with vengeance,
with the recompense of God.
|He will come and save you.” - Isaiah 41:10 “fear not, for I am with you;
be not dismayed, for I am your God;
I will strengthen you, I will help you,
I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” - Luke 12:24 “Consider the ravens: they neither sow nor reap, they have neither storehouse nor barn, and yet God feeds them. Of how much more value are you than the birds!”
- Romans 8:38-39 “For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
No King but Christ 