Have you ever read a quote or a statement that stopped you in your tracks? I recently saw a post online that stopped my scrolling, it was a statement by an unknown author that said, “in the morning when I wake, I ask God to get in my head before I do.”

For someone that spends a lot of time in their head (it’s fun in there sometimes), this statement caught my attention instantly. I’m not a morning person, so I don’t bounce out of bed and get started on the day. I also don’t keep my phone in the bedroom, so I don’t end the night or start the day doom scrolling, checking social media or emails, or responding to messages. As I get up, I let my thoughts just flow. Most days, as my brain is starting to wake up, I tend to thank God for another day. If I had a good night’s sleep, I thank Him for that, too. But then I let my thoughts ebb and flow like waves on the shore. Some thoughts come crashing in and start me off in a particular direction, and some float in slowly, almost teasing me to chase them.

But this statement had me asking, what if before I allowed my thoughts to ebb and flow and dictate my mood for the morning, I intentionally asked God to get inside my head before I did and fill me with His peace and love and perspective?  What would my day look like if I started the day by inviting God into my head before I started thinking, and overthinking, everything that was happening in my world? How would that affect my mood and my state of mind?

1 Peter 5:7 tells us to, “Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.” For many, life comes with many trials and challenges that bring on anxiety or fear (or both!) But God’s Word tells us to cast all our anxieties on Him because He cares for us. That means He wants us to give Him every single thing that worries us or stresses us or causes us fear and uncertainty. He wants to take on all our concerns and anxieties. And in exchange, He wants us to walk in His freedom and peace and love.

Sometimes, it’s hard to grasp the depth of God’s love for us. In our humanity, we don’t fully understand the unconditional and endless love of God. It doesn’t make sense that the Creator of the universe is interested in every part of our lives. But He is. He doesn’t just want to be part of our good days; He wants to be part of all our days. He wants to love us through our fears and delights and heartbreaks and joy. God wants to lead and guide us through the valley roads to the mountain tops.     

Whilst we can’t escape the trials of life, we can choose how we deal with them. Philippians 4:6-7 says,

Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

In every situation, present your requests to God. Easier said than done sometimes, I know. Especially when it feels like you’re constantly nagging God with your requests. I often think that God must roll His eyes at my requests and prayers regularly, but that’s not who God is. That’s not His character. Psalm 25:8-10 tells us, “Good and upright is the Lord; therefore he instructs sinners in his ways. He guides the humble in what is right and teaches them his way. All the ways of the Lord are loving and faithful toward those who keep the demands of his covenant.”

He is Good. Upright. Loving and faithful towards those who keep His covenant. He doesn’t tire of our requests and prayers. Nor does He get annoyed or irritated with us when we have doubts or fears. He keeps lovingly extending His arms out to us and inviting us to rest in Him. To trust Him with our worries and fears.

For my fellow overthinkers, maybe we can fight back against our overthinking simply by inviting God into our heads before we run through our mental door. Maybe, every day, when we open our eyes, we thank God for another day, invite Him in, and ask Him to help us take every thought captive so that we can walk in the freedom and peace Jesus died for us to have.

May you walk in His peace today, and every day.